It can't, because in the overwhelmingly vast majority of people, there are no visible lines in any way. What's there is a shift of skin cell patterns, but unless the alien has a microscopic zoom eye that sees individual cells, thats not visible. MRI vision would also work, or other active detection methods that can see past the visible surface.
There are certain skin conditions that can make the lines visible, and some conditions that can bring them out under UV light or other wavelengths. But apart from very specific individuals, no light can detect the stripes.
Mostly no. For a very few people their "stripes" might show under UV light, which cats can see and humans can't. But by far the majority of people don't have their stripes showing under UV either.
Here’s an article with some great pictures showing how stripes show up on humans, which are invisible normally, but can be seen due to certain skin conditions.
The wikipedia article on humans is written like this and fun to read:
"Humans' thinner body hair and more productive sweat glands help avoid heat exhaustion while running for long distances."
"During sleep humans dream, where they experience sensory images and sounds"
"Humans commit violence on other humans at a rate comparable to other primates, but have an increased preference for killing adults, infanticide being more common among other primates."
It seems that because skin color in humans is determined by more than just the X chromosomes in skin cells, this is not the case. However it is the case in some animals, such as cats, which is why calico cats look like they do.
If skin color in humans was due to solely that X chromosome, then yes, at least theoretically a person who's parents have different skin colors would present both of those colors along these patterns. It would probably be most noticable on mixed-race people but technically almost everyone would have something similar unless both of your parents had the exact same shade of skin color. I think it'd be cool!
You can see "stripes" on humans in the infrared. Most of us are actually pretty splotchy. There is variation in how the blood vessels run which distributes the body heat on our skin unevenly. My Indian and African American coworkers' skin looks pretty much the same as mine (white guy) in the infrared.
There's genetic code that'd give them stripes but they're just the same colour as the rest of the skin
Ergo they're not stripes.
That's like saying paper has stripes because it's made from fibers of many different trees but since it's bleached (and also since tree fibers tend to look the exact same) you can't see them.
38 Comments
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world · 54 pts · 12d
You're assuming that the aliens' vision can't detect our stripes.
0ops@piefed.zip · 30 pts · 12d
Yeah? Well YOU'RE assuming that the aliens have vision!
Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works · 18 pts · 12d
It can't, because in the overwhelmingly vast majority of people, there are no visible lines in any way. What's there is a shift of skin cell patterns, but unless the alien has a microscopic zoom eye that sees individual cells, thats not visible. MRI vision would also work, or other active detection methods that can see past the visible surface.
There are certain skin conditions that can make the lines visible, and some conditions that can bring them out under UV light or other wavelengths. But apart from very specific individuals, no light can detect the stripes.
NihilsineNefas@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 11d
Aren't cats able to see the stripes?
Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 11d
Mostly no. For a very few people their "stripes" might show under UV light, which cats can see and humans can't. But by far the majority of people don't have their stripes showing under UV either.
NihilsineNefas@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 11d
Ahh that makes sense
Venator@lemmy.nz · 2 pts · 11d
"My favorite fact from the last 7 days is that humans can't even see their own stripes"
HerbGrower@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 9d
Alien: You know their big stripes? They can't even see them themselves!
danekrae@lemmy.world · 44 pts · 12d
"A human ass can actually..."
Apeman42@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 12d
"The human rectum is almost nightmarishly elastic..."
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 36 pts · 12d
Nope. Not clicking that.
Winter_Oven@piefed.social · 11 pts · 12d
That does seem to be quite the dangerous link...
massacre@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 12d
Not looking to be anally Rick Rolled? I hear that kink is all the rage...
edgemaster72@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 11d
...xZQ, link stays blue
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 12d
Is that when Rick Astley has his way with you?
If so, no thanks.
massacre@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 12d
That's the thing - you never know what to expect!
naught101@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 12d
Wouldn't that be "anally Spanish Inquisitioned"?
I've been to the museum, that would not be fun. Those guys were fucked up.
Mac@mander.xyz · 3 pts · 12d
It's a nothingburger
Pudutr0n@lemmy.world · 28 pts · 12d
wait, we could have stripes?
cannedtuna@lemmy.world · 74 pts · 12d
They’re called Blaschko’s lines.
Here’s an article with some great pictures showing how stripes show up on humans, which are invisible normally, but can be seen due to certain skin conditions.
NABDad@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 12d
Swirling Butt Loops
I claim it! If I ever form a band that's going to be our name
Mac@mander.xyz · 5 pts · 12d
Whoa. Very cool. TIL!
affenlehrer@feddit.org · 4 pts · 12d
Interesting, the lines look very similar to the dermatomes. At least the ones I'm familiar with due to herniated discs.
dharmacurious@slrpnk.net · 23 pts · 12d
"I'm 1/16th human on my mother's side, stop trying to tell me about my own people"
SethTaylor@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 11d
But that means...
Oh, my goodness 🫢
Emi@ani.social · 7 pts · 11d
Captain jack harkness? :3
katkit@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 11d
The wikipedia article on humans is written like this and fun to read:
"Humans' thinner body hair and more productive sweat glands help avoid heat exhaustion while running for long distances."
"During sleep humans dream, where they experience sensory images and sounds"
"Humans commit violence on other humans at a rate comparable to other primates, but have an increased preference for killing adults, infanticide being more common among other primates."
Sergio@piefed.social · 14 pts · 12d
Hey what about us mixed-race people? If the genes fell just right, would the stripes be visible on us?
varden@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 12d
It seems that because skin color in humans is determined by more than just the X chromosomes in skin cells, this is not the case. However it is the case in some animals, such as cats, which is why calico cats look like they do.
If skin color in humans was due to solely that X chromosome, then yes, at least theoretically a person who's parents have different skin colors would present both of those colors along these patterns. It would probably be most noticable on mixed-race people but technically almost everyone would have something similar unless both of your parents had the exact same shade of skin color. I think it'd be cool!
BradleyUffner@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 12d
Stretch marks are silver? They always look extra pink to me. Pinker than regular skin.
agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 11d
I think they meant in sheen, not color.
wizzor@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 11d
Aliens can see a much narrower slice of the spectrum I see.
jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works · 11 pts · 11d
MeowerMisfit817@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 11d
Orbulon's the type of alien that would share human fun facts to other aliens.
darthelmet@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 11d
Subscribe to Humanfacts.
collapse_already@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 11d
You can see "stripes" on humans in the infrared. Most of us are actually pretty splotchy. There is variation in how the blood vessels run which distributes the body heat on our skin unevenly. My Indian and African American coworkers' skin looks pretty much the same as mine (white guy) in the infrared.
yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de · -10 pts · 12d
Ergo they're not stripes.
That's like saying paper has stripes because it's made from fibers of many different trees but since it's bleached (and also since tree fibers tend to look the exact same) you can't see them.
VAK@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 11d
Stop being a party pooper