Can you imagine a original primary color?

[Maia]

First question - Is it possible for a human to conceptualize a new color they've never seen before, just by thinking about it? I've heard a few people claim they could, but it was "wasn't easy".

Second question - If a 4th primary color could be seen (or imagined), would that increase the number of possible colors 100-fold, to about 100 million? We can see about 1 million colors now. Would a 5th increase it to ~10 billion? If so, could the brain even handle this much color variety?

By the way, some people may already see 4 primary colors (thus 100 million colors), due to an rare mix of genes. Also, certain animals see 4 primary colors normally.

Personally I think that would be the most amazing thing, to see colors never imagined. It would be like waking up from a black and white world.

[Deleted]

No, since colour is visible light. The only thing you could try to imagine is the colour of x-rays, for example.

[Wells]

Nope. We know of every color in the visible light spectrum.

I suppose if you could see IR or what not you'd be seeing a new color but humans can't do that.

[Garnier Fructis]

No, since colour is visible light. The only thing you could try to imagine is the colour of x-rays, for example.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. The only way to experience a new "color" would be to somehow perceive beyond the visible light spectrum.

[Muraza]

would be to somehow perceive beyond the visible light spectrum.

Hah, such mortals.

[Papalenin]

Not a primary color but there are people with a rare gene that allows them to distinguish "extra" colors that we otherwise cannot see.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06256/721190-114.stm

[Garnier Fructis]

Not a primary color but there are people with a rare gene that allows them to distinguish "extra" colors that we otherwise cannot see.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06256/721190-114.stm

/genuflect

[Catta]

i thought there were only 3 primary colors :/

and yea i could imagine it - its a special color - you've probably never heard of it

[Afrospinach]

Nope. We know of every color in the visible light spectrum.

I suppose if you could see IR or what not you'd be seeing a new color but humans can't do that.

We are actually capable of seeing ultraviolet, your lenses on your eyes just block it out. It you have cataract surgery it allows more of the UV through the lens and in this way you can perceive it.

[Adam Jensen]

Of course we could, but it'd drive us insane because our minds cannot comprehend such a cosmic oddity. Indeed, that is a dimension of the older gods and Yog Sothoth.

[Deleted]

I would imagine it being akin to explaining sound to a person born deaf, or sight to a person born blind.

[zox]

If the "new" primary colour would be within our current visible spectrum, we would see more shades in the visible spectrum. If it were to be in the UV or IR part of the spectrum, we would see new colours there. Getting to see a new primary colour would not increase our "number of colours" 10 fold or more. Every light receptor we have can see 1 of 3 different regions of the spectrum. Those regions overlap. (that's why we see mixed blue and yellow dots as green, the same as a pure green colour) Every light receptor can distinguish a certain number of different colours in their respective range, so adding an extra receptor would increase the number of colours roughly by 33%.

---------- Post added 2011-12-09 at 12:57 PM ----------

i thought there were only 3 primary colors :/

and yea i could imagine it - its a special color - you've probably never heard of it

For some people there are only 2.

[Deleted]

were to be in the UV or IR part of the spectrum, we would see new colours there.

If I remember rightly, pink doesnt actually exist in the spectrum, and is just what we see if there is no green, or anything between red and purple outside the spectrum that we can't see.

[haxartus]

Red
Green
Blue
Everything else comes from these three (in the visible spectrum).

[Julian Rayne]

Yes it's call octarine.

Seriously, some biologists believe that there may be a few tetra-chromatic women out there.