It's not that easy to have big eyes!

Image
ANI Washington DC
Last Updated : Sep 12 2015 | 11:57 AM IST

A new research has found that large eyes are developed on the stake of other body organ systems and between 5 percent and 15 percent of total energy is required to build big eyes in an infant.

The research led by Sweden's Lund University examined a Mexican cavefish, which lost its visual system through regression, and calculated the actual cost of well-developed vision in animals.

The team of researchers observed that the fish, which lives in a very dark, nutrient-poor environment and has no use for eyes, was clearly different to the surface-dwelling variant, known as a morph, of the same species.

Eric Warrant, one of the researchers, explained that animals with large and well-developed eyes, for their survival pays a high price, as all animals have a strictly limited energy budget, a major investment in the visual system only occurs at a cost to other organ systems.

The research is published in the Science Advances journal.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 12 2015 | 11:47 AM IST

Next Story