Did you know the darkest you see when you close your eyes isn't black?

[Anonymous]

Apparently the color you see when you close your eyes and try making it as dark as possible isn't black, it's actually a dark shade of gray called eigengrau.

So technically you don't see black, you see gray.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

I knew it, I'm interested in color perception since years already.

Tell me which number you see here:

hint: it's not 666

[Asker]

I see 74 cause it is 74, I'm not color blind 😂

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

yay!

[nolabels]

I did know that.

What I now wonder is if you are in an absolutely, completely sealed, completely dark room, does the human brain still produce the eigengrau effect due to the body's internal chemical-electrical energy.

[Asker]

Very interesting question 🤔

I guess it depends on how much light leaks into the room right? Cause with no light at all you're basically forced to look at blackness no? 🤔🤔🤔

[nolabels]

No, I'm talking about a room that would actually be completely dark.
What I'm wondering is if the electrical chemical processes of the human body produce a light that would be seen as eigengrau, or if the eigengrau is simply a function of the brain itself.

I guess that I'll now have to go research eigengrau.

If I discover anything, I'll get back to you.

[nolabels]

Here it is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigengrau

Eigengrau is produced in the human body according to this source.

[electromagnetic]

I figured since there’s light externally, some will seep on the eyelids if that makes sense. Even when you sleep in the dark, there’s always like a source of light after a few. It’s never truly dark black

[Asker]

Good observation indeed

[Caroline91]

Try going down into one of the deep caverns that exist in some places. When they turn off the lights, you experience what black really is. A complete absence of light.

[Asker]

I didn't think it can get any darker than black ha

[MemeSupreme]

holy fuck im early lol

and yeah it never looked like black bc i see random colors when i close my eyes in the dark too

[Asker]

Early bird gets the worm is what they say, unless momo is up early too, at that point momo takes your worm

[Account]

To me it looks like greyish, dark brown. But we all see colors differently.

[Asker]

Aw man account you are color blind? 😩😱

[Account]

Nope not in the slightest lol

[Asker]

Fair enough lol

[Anonymous]

Well yes you don’t see black when you close your eyes, because your eyelids would need to block out 100% of light to achieve that.

[Asker]

Good observation indeed

[NathanDavis]

oh no, not me...

when I close my eyes, I always see bursting of flashes and it's just crazy... never darkness, no grey either

it's like fireworks every time, lol

[Abbycado]

I see dead people

[Asker]

No you see eigengrau 😤

[Abbycado]

Lmao I’m just being a twat lol XD

[Asker]

Very abbycado behavior indeed lol

[Abbycado]

Very very much so lmao

[Asker]

Eigengrau

[FreyaRed]

Eigengrau. [one's own Gray]

[Asker]

Indeed, our eyelids are putting in work

[CubaPirate]

The short answer is no I didn't

[Asker]

Short answer approved lol

[Flower7]

I didn't know that. Interesting.