This is what praying mantises look like wearing tiny 3D glasses


In a recently published Scientific Reports study, Newcastle University researchers found that praying mantises use 3D vision when they hunt. How did scientists determine this? By showing the insects images of prey both before and after outfitting them with old-school 3D glasses, of course.
Here are adorable photos of what this research looks like in practice, courtesy of Newcastle University:
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The glasses are attached with beeswax.
"Despite their minute brains, mantises are sophisticated visual hunters which can capture prey with terrifying efficiency," said study leader Jenny Read. "We can learn a lot by studying how they perceive the world."
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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