What An Insect View REALLY Looks Like

Here’s what compound eyes really do — and why flies see you in slow motion. A few centuries ago, scientists believed insects saw thousands of tiny, repeated images — like a kaleidoscope of candle flames. But that’s not how compound eyes work. In this episode of Big Ideas from the team behind Deep Look, Niba explores how insects actually see the world — from the structure of ommatidia to motion detection, ultraviolet color vision, and the evolutionary advantage of seeing faster than we do. From ancient trilobites to modern pollinators, this episode dives into the evolution, physics, and neuroscience behind the most common eye type in the animal kingdom. 🧠 Why compound eyes dominate the planet ⚡ How insects see motion in “slow motion” 🌈 What colors insects see that humans can’t 🪰 Why flies are so hard to swat Welcome to Big Ideas — where we zoom out to answer the biggest questions about how animals survive. 👉 Donate to KQED, the public media station that makes Deep Look: https://donate.kqed.org/deeplook SIGN UP for Deep Look’s newsletter, Nature Unseen: https://bit.ly/NatureUnseenSignUp SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@KQEDDeepLook?sub_confirmation=1 ---+ Find a transcript on KQED Science: https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2000059/what-an-insect-view-really-looks-like/ ---+ More great Deep Look episodes: There’s No Place Like Home: 4 of Nature’s Savviest Homeowners https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNDU6IYH3Eo This Stick Insect Has a Peppermint-Scented Secret Weapon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmPCRIwi0mg 4 of the Deadliest Tiny Hunters We've Ever Filmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLr0Xleaxb8 ---+ Thank you to our top Patreon supporters ($10+ per month)! Alex Butler Bridget Kelly BulletproofFrog Burt Humburg Carrie Mukaida Christopher Williams Companion Cube Craig Rosa Cristen Rasmussen Daisuke Goto David Deshpande Duane Westhoff El Samuels Elena De La Paz Elizabeth Ann Ditz Hank Poppe J Schumacher Jeremiah Sullivan Jessica Hiraoka Julia Karen Reynolds KayLa KW Laurel Przybylski Laurel Przybylski LAUREL PRZYBYLSKI Levi Cai Lily, Vinny, Izzy Altschuler Louis O'Neill manamonarch Mehdi Noreen Herrington R Roberta K Wright STEPHANIE DOLE The Mighty X Titania Juang Wade Tregaskis Walter Tschinkel Wised1000 wormy boi xkymon ---+ Follow Deep Look and KQED Science on social: TikTok: / deeplookofficial Patreon: / deeplook Instagram: / kqedscience Twitter/X: / kqedscience ---+ About KQED: KQED, an NPR and PBS member station in San Francisco, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios and the members of KQED. #insects #camouflage #bugs #butterfly #seahorse #nature #wildlife #kqed #deeplook


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