Reindeer don't need Rudolph to find their way at night. Researchers found that these animals, called caribou in North America, see light in the ultraviolet spectrum, aiding their ability to find their favorite food, lichens, in the dark of Arctic winters. To the human eye, these white lichens are nearly invisible against the snow. But the lichen absorbs UV light. Using spectral data from the lichen and light filters calibrated to mimic reindeer vision, scientists in northern Scotland found that these lichens appear as dark patches against a bright background to reindeer. Read more here.
May Santa and his reindeer find your house this Christmas!