“We only see a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

It is a widely accepted fact that our perception of light is incredibly limited, and this understanding isn't so much a myth as it is a fundamental scientific truth that often sparks curiosity about the world beyond our immediate senses. The idea that we are only privy to a fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum is a concept that resonates because it highlights the astonishing limitations of human vision compared to the vastness of physical reality. This pervasive awareness likely stems from both scientific education and popular science discussions.

Scientifically, the electromagnetic spectrum is a continuous range of all possible electromagnetic radiation, from long radio waves to short gamma rays. Our eyes, however, are equipped with specific photoreceptor cells that are only sensitive to a tiny segment of this spectrum, which we define as visible light. This sliver includes the colors we perceive, ranging from red (around 750 nanometers) to violet (around 380 nanometers). All other forms of electromagnetic radiation—such as infrared, which we feel as heat; ultraviolet, responsible for sunburns; microwaves; X-rays; and radio waves—are entirely invisible to us, despite constantly interacting with our environment.

People commonly believe this truth because it's easily demonstrable and has significant implications for how we understand the universe. The existence of devices like night-vision goggles, which detect infrared light, or radio telescopes, which capture cosmic radio waves, provides tangible evidence that much more is happening electromagnetically than our eyes can ever process. This limitation is a product of evolution; our visual system developed to perceive what was most crucial for survival and navigation in our specific environment, not to encompass the entirety of electromagnetic phenomena.