How To Swat A Fly

Using high-speed video footage, bioengineers have discovered the key to the evasive manoeuvrability of flies – and found the best strategy for swatting them successfully.


Long before the fly leaps, its tiny 'brain' calculates the location of the impending threat, comes up with an escape plan, and places its legs in an optimal position to hop out of the way in the opposite direction. All of this action takes place within about 100 milliseconds after the fly first spots the swatter.