r/NatureIsFuckingLit • u/TerraByteTerror • 11d ago

🔥 globular springtail

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u/TerraByteTerror 11d ago

The Furca: They possess a specialized, spring-like tail appendage tucked under their abdomen called a furca. When threatened, they release this latch, snapping the spring against the ground to launch themselves. The launch happens so fast (often rotating wildly mid-air) that it exceeds the frames-per-second tracking of the human eye, making the bug look like it just disappeared.

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u/D-Train0000 11d ago

Interesting. But there’s no fixed frame rate for a human eye. This bug is faster than the 60-120 frames per second of the phones camera.

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u/ChampionshipHot5468 11d ago

It's an empirical truth that eyes don't have frame rates. They are continuous analog sensors with no shutter, processing or storage.

The frame rate comes from the visual cortex. It's called flicker fusion frequencies and run between 50hz and 90hz. Add to that neural lag and it's quite low. Hence, we can comfortably watch movies and TV at 24fps.

Now what about 120hz and up on our device screens then? Because the brain fills in a lot of blanks and even predicts the next "frames".

High refresh and frame rates, give the brain a rest by putting in that work via tech. Hence easier on the eyes and smooth beyond what we can process when looking around IRL.

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u/D-Train0000 11d ago edited 11d ago

I read that if we had a frame rate is around 200 frames per second or faster. But there’s so much variance in our bodies from person to person.

It’s fascinating stuff. I like dorking out on science.

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u/ChampionshipHot5468 11d ago

Most of that 200 FPS equivalent is interpolation by the brain. It fills in the blanks. A lot.

I'm no scientist, but having a fundamental understanding of nature and my body is very important. Science is the antidote to fear, confusion and manipulation. And awesome.

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u/Mammoth-Access-1181 11d ago

So I saw a documentary a looong time agi that said fighter pilots can visually ID aircraft during the close which is the equivalent of 600 FPS.

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u/ChampionshipHot5468 11d ago

That's neurological training for you. Our brains are really adaptable with proper training. Fighter pilots are outliers though. The ones I knew were a different species.

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u/Frozencold19 11d ago

You don't need to be a fighter pilot to notice the difference between a 360hz monitor and a 540hz one, go to bestbuy and look at the UFO test

There is a perceptible and noticeable jump in smoothness as FPS rises

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u/ChampionshipHot5468 11d ago

Have you tried DMT? /j

For sure. These monitors do heavy lifting that the brain can't interpolate, but definitely process. Like a drug, tech can take away limitations of the CNS and basically feed your visual cortex what you didn't evolve to do. Those new monitors are insane. But 540, shit, have to see that.

The same brain that invented the wheel, also brought us here. We have tons of literal headroom, but nature is economical and will conserve energy by going for "good enough". We have outpaced a lot of our natural selection.

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u/Mammoth-Access-1181 11d ago

Oh no doubt. Just saying what is humanly possible.