In Photos: Amazing Fly Eyes

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Fly Speed Tests

Sam Fabian, a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, readies the 'fly teaser' for a high-speed video shoot of robber fly antics.

Sam Fabian, a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, readies the 'fly teaser' for a high-speed video shoot of robber fly antics. (Image credit: Current Biology/Wardill and Fabian et al.)

Sam Fabian, a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, readies the "fly teaser" for a high-speed video shoot of robber fly antics. The researchers filmed flies attacking silver beads on a fishing line, which were moved in pre-ordained directions by motors and pulleys. From these videos, they could reconstruct three-dimensional models of the flies' flight trajectory.

Fly Fieldwork

testing the vision of robber flies.

Doctoral student Sam Fabian (right) talks with University of Cambridge neuroscientist Paloma Gonzalez-Bellido as fellow neuroscience professor Trevor Wardill downloads new data. The researchers conducted their study at a field site in Pennsylvania. (Image credit: Current Biology/Wardill and Fabian et al)

Doctoral student Sam Fabian (right) talks with University of Cambridge neuroscientist Paloma Gonzalez-Bellido as fellow neuroscience professor Trevor Wardill downloads new data. The researchers conducted their study at a field site in Pennsylvania.

[Read the full article on fly eyes]

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.