[red75prime]

> colors are single dimensional

Light is a mixture of different wavelengths, so, in a sense, it's infinitely dimensional. People's perception of light is usually three dimensional.

> maybe not even really mappable to any continuum

I think it cannot be continuum, as sense of smell is caused by discrete molecules. As for "not mappable", it can be that it's mappable, but our brain is really bad at it.

[amelius]

But light is composed of photons, which carry a certain energy which is responsible for the color you see.