From Deep Look.

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.

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—+ More great Deep Look episodes:
There’s No Place Like Home: 4 of Nature’s Savviest Homeowners

This Stick Insect Has a Peppermint-Scented Secret Weapon

4 of the Deadliest Tiny Hunters We’ve Ever Filmed

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