Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72509-2"> Comparing classic static and morphodynamic models of neural superposition in fly vision. Credit: Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72509-2

The secret behind insects' lightning-fast reactions could offer a blueprint for more energy-efficient robots and self-driving cars, according to a new study challenging our understanding of how brains process information. Published in Nature Communications , the University of Sheffield research shows that house flies and fruit flies do not process visual information passively, as previously believed. Rather than simply watching the world, insects twitch their bodies in sync with what they see.…