I fell down a research spiral about jellyfish vision—and it’s mind-blowing. Some jellyfish, like box jellyfish, have actual eyes with lenses, retinas, and even corneas, despite not having a brain in the way we think of it. They use these eyes to detect shapes, colors, and even navigate around obstacles. Their visual system is like an alien camera, wired straight to a nerve ring that makes snap decisions for them.
Now I’m obsessed with how a creature so ethereal and brainless can see the world—and I’m plotting ways to slip this weird magic into my book about marine life.
Photo by @billy_huynh