Infrared (IR) light is invisible to humans. However, some animals, such as rattlesnakes or bloodsucking bats, can perceive IR radiation and use it to find food. But even for humans, the ability to see in the short-wave IR (SWIR) range would sometimes be useful. With the help of starlight alone, one could see quite sharply at night. Mechanics would be able to see the heat of a soldering tip at a glance. And fruit merchants could detect damaged produce even before the rotting process begins.
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Source: Phys.org