Primate vision puts pieces together

Nerve cells in retinas create an intricate system of interlocking receptive fields

Primates’ eyes view scenes like a seamless patchwork quilt, a study appearing online April 7 in PLoS Biology shows. This underappreciated visual coordination may contribute to why primates, including humans, can see with such precision, says study coauthor Jeffrey Gauthier.

Each nerve cell in the primate retina responds to light in a small jagged space (warmer colors indicate a greater response in the space the cell detects).