How Do Xenomorphs See? - Explained

The ‘covered eyes/one sided mirror’ theory sits most comfortably with me 👍🏻.

The original design had the alien with eyes inside a translucent dome, but later designs made the dome opaque. The skull shape itself may simply be due to the alien taking on morphological traits of its host.

I really like the eyes behind the dome theory. Also I wouldn't be surprised if Xenoorphs can track prey by sensing their body heat like pit vipers do, kind of explains why they are so sensitive to fire.

Aliens have eyes. In alien 3 it showed the perspective of the runner alien as it chased the prisoners at the end of the movie.

Keep up the videos man. You seem very intelligent, and xenomorph biology will always be an interesting topic. Your video quality is top notch and you don't ramble on. Love it. I was actually saddened when I noticed your channel is new, as I wanted to watch more. As for the topic at hand, I do believe that the sockets behind their dome may serve some sort of visionary purpose, but there has to be more. Most likely the pheromone option. We've been shown many times, usually when put in the position of the xenomorph itself (i.e video games) that they can easily pinpoint and differentiate targets through walls and the like. So it can't be just eyes. Unless.. x-ray vision..?

I doubt that it would be echolocation because the Xenos have been shown to be able to see in the vacuum of space, where echolocation wouldn't work due to having nothing to travel through. I recall that in the AVP video games, Xenos can spot themselves and their prey even through walls by using pheromones (like how it was explained in this video). I also read somewhere that the domed part of the Xeno's face is actually a visual receptor, giving it the necessary depth perception it needs to perform precision strikes.

It has to have eyes because when the scientist guy put his hand over the red button the xenomorph backed off because it didn't want to get hit again! Remember they are fast learners! Lol

It makes sense that there would be some type of amor in front of the eyes to protect them. A true perfect specimen .

Well, I've always assumed they hunt by a combination of sound, smell and heat. Even though in Alien3 the Alien's POV is shown, I still assumed that was for the audience's benefit and not actual. However, now that you mention it, the xeno skull does in fact have eye sockets, so there would some limited form of vision.

There is also the possibility of electroreception: "Electroreception is the biological ability to perceive natural electrical stimuli. It has been observed almost exclusively in aquatic or amphibious animals, since salt-water is a much better conductor than air, the currently known exceptions being echidnas, cockroaches and bees. Electroreception is used in electrolocation (detecting objects) and for electrocommunication." It could be possible that this is another form of locating living objects for the Xenomorph or at least a form of communication. Who knows.

Being a perfect organism, I imagine it has many more senses than just the five we're familiar with. Giger said that the creature perceived by 'instinct'. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that, but I figure that it meant that it sensed its environment instantly in any number of different ways. Originally, the carapace was considered part of its sensory aparatus creating a large surface area for stimuli to be received by the Alien from vibrations, light, heat, cold, pressure, electromagnetics, and bioelectrics. Mostly because the mechanical head was heavy, Bolaji Badejo had to bend down a lot and move forward with the head facing to the floor, but one can say, in canon, that the creature was doing that as a way to 'scan' its prey. In the book, Alien, the creature was not only able to see, but was able to see in vivid color since a green light fascinated it to no end!

Regardless of whether it can see or not, the fact its eyes are not visible is what makes it look a lot more scary. Like in the Japanese horror movie Ring, the fact you can't see her face, and especially her eyes is more scary than any scary horror face they might make in other movies.

wow where did you come from lol love your Channel bud

I'd REALLY love to know why they drool so much...

Honestly I've always kind of thought the decidedly glossy head "dome" potentially functioned similar to a huge compound eye..

I think they may have eyes inside the dome. There's this deep sea fish called the "barreleye" fish with it's eyes inside a transparent shield. Since the eyes are such a vulnerable organ, it wouldn't surprise me that they have that one-way glass type of thing going on to protect their eyes.

in Predator 2 when they show the alien skull there are no eye sockets

I don't think It'd be too crazy to say they have every sense in the book and more seeing as they ARE the perfect organism(s)

I always liked the theory they came up with in the comics and used for the AVP games. That they sensed electrical currents like sharks and some other fish have. They also wouldn't need eyes to sense electromagnetic fields. Which would explain their ability to see in the dark, locate hiding prey, as well as their ability to see even cloaked predators. It also explained their ability to take out electrical generators and other systems. It's not intelligence but more a "moth to a flame" scenario with them being attracted to and attacking that equipment.

Based on Alien: Isolation, not only can they see, they have some form of clairvoyant abilities knowing where you are at all times and where you are trying to get to. :D