University Of Exeter

Study: butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions that foil predators

Researchers from the University of Exeter and University of Essex, publishing in Nature, found that butterflies' wing patterns combine with their flight to produce visual illusions that distort predators' perception of speed and direction. The team says this helps explain why few predators specialise in catching butterflies mid-flight, unlike moths, which are preyed on by many aerial hunters.

essex.ac.uk · 2026-10-01

UN Environment Programme admits 1.5°C warming limit will be breached within years

A new UN Environment Programme report concedes that global warming will surpass the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold set by the Paris climate accord within the next few years, driven by continued burning of coal, oil and gas. Current temperatures already sit around 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels based on 20-year averages, and scientists say there is no longer a realistic path to staying under the limit.

pbs.org · 2026-09-05