Why Can't Flies See Fly Sweaters?

If you have ever wondered why flies always seem to be one step ahead of you when attempting to catch them, new research suggests that they are capable of quick-fire intelligence. In experiments with fruit flies and a fly swatter, scientists at the California Institute of Technology observed how quickly the flies could calculate their location and plan of escape. In as little as 100 milliseconds, they were able to extend their legs and get away. The study, published in the journal Science, suggests that flies have a high-speed brain that can process sensory information quickly.

Scientists have determined that the flies’ visual system has an unusually high critical flicker fusion rate, which is the speed at which the brain processes images. This speed makes flies more susceptible to visual stimuli, such as flickering lights, which cause them to move forward and backward. The flies’ responses to flickering lights are more than twice as fast as the human eye’s.

Flies also exhibit a very high mental capacity, which helps them avoid being squashed. They can perform aerobatic maneuvers, such as rolling up into a 90 degree turn. The ability to quickly change direction also allows them to avoid a potential threat.