Eyes detect light and convert it into electrochemical impulses in neurons. The process is the precursor to vision in complex beings. Yet some simple organisms, such as jellyfish (cnidarians), also have many types of eyes that use the same photoreceptive proteins, called opsins, as animals like flies and humans.

The octopus has a unique ability. It can change the color, pattern and even texture of its skin not only for purposes of camouflage but also as a means of communication. The most intelligent, most mobile and largest of all mollusks, these cephalopods use their almost humanlike eyes to send signals to pigmented organs in their skin called chromatophores, which expand and contract to alter their appearance.

Research Mentorship Program

Last summer, both Andrew Swafford and Emily Ellis mentored high school students in the Research Mentorship Program.

Graduate student Des Ramirez walked away with the lab NCAA bracket challenge, scoring a 96.4% over runner-up, sixth grader, Ian Oakley. Des presciently,nay prophetically chose Big 10 teams like MSU and WI to go deep into the tournament. Second place finisher Ian got off to a good start in the first round, but consistently lost ground after that. Third place finisher and professor Todd Oakley had his brackets completely busted early on when his alma mater, Duke, were knocked out in the first round. At least he filled a bracket, unlike anyone else in the lab.