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Infrared sensing snakes use pit organs extensively to detect and target warm-blooded prey such as rodents and birds. Blind or blindfolded rattlesnakes can strike prey accurately in the complete absence of visible light, [13] [14] though it does not appear that they assess prey animals based on their body temperature. [15]
The snakes' face has a pair of holes, or pits, lined with temperature sensors. The sensors indirectly detect infrared radiation by its heating effect on the skin inside the pit. They can work out which part of the pit is hottest, and therefore the direction of the heat source, which could be a warm-blooded prey animal.
Many empirical studies have found evidence for the theory. Primates, including humans, are able to quickly detect snakes. [6] [7] Some studies have found that humans can detect snake images before subjective visual perception. [8] However, the pre-conscious detection of snake stimuli is still under debate by the scientific community. [9]
Vampire bats have developed a specialized system using infrared-sensitive receptors on their nose-leaf to prey on homeothermic (warm-blooded) vertebrates. [1] Trigeminal nerve fibers that innervate these IR-sensitive receptors may be involved in detection of infrared thermal radiation emitted by their prey. This may aid bats in locating blood ...
An infrared detector is a detector that reacts to infrared (IR) radiation. The two main types of detectors are thermal and photonic ( photodetectors ). The thermal effects of the incident IR radiation can be followed through many temperature dependent phenomena. [ 2 ]
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Snakes have been found in all kinds of unexpected places including toilets, closets, and yes, even on planes. However, a T-Mobile engineer probably didn't expect an encounter with them while going ...
They need to detect the prey, assess it as worth attacking, and strike when it is in exactly the right place. They have evolved a variety of adaptations that facilitate this assessment. For example, pit vipers prey on small birds, choosing targets of the right size for their mouth gape: larger snakes choose larger prey.