melanopic
mel-uh-NO-pik
Definition
Relating to the sensitivity of the melanopsin-containing cells in the retina that regulate the body's circadian rhythms.
Etymology
The word is a combination of 'melanopsin'—a photopigment protein found in retinal ganglion cells—and the suffix '-ic' meaning 'pertaining to.' It was coined to describe the specific light-sensitive pathways that influence biological cycles.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a specific way of measuring light, known as melanopic EDI, which weights light intensity according to its ability to affect the circadian system rather than just human visual brightness.
Morning sunlight can reset the body clock surprisingly quickly because outdoor light is vastly brighter than most indoor environments — but the popular five-minute rule isn't a proven biological threshold, and window glass weakens the signal rather than blocki
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com