We've all heard about the speed of a peregrine falcon when it "stoops" (dives on prey). This can exceed 200 MPH! That's faster than any other creature on the planet!
However, did you know that there are several characteristics about the bird that enable it to do this efficiently? Take, for example, the dark patch below the eyes. This is similar to the dark patch that football players often paint below their eyes, and scientists believe it serves the same purpose - to deflect bright rays away from the eyes and help maintain contrast sensitivity.
Then, there's the nictitating membranes, or "third eyelids", that they can spread across the eye lens, wiping debris away and adding tears to keep their vision sharp!
Now, get this! ~ When a movie is made, the
typical frame rate is 24 frames per second. This means that there are 24 pictures taken per second when the movie is shot. This helps the human eye and brain perceive motion properly and smoothly when the movie is viewed. If the frame rate was less, say 10 frames per second, the movie would appear to flicker, and would not be smooth. This concept enters the scientific field known as "flicker fusion frequency" - something WAAAAY over my head, but I at least get the concept, even though I
can't describe it. Anyway, the peregrine falcon has a flicker fusion frequency of 129Hz (cycles per second), MUCH higher than any mammal! This will keep a target in perfect smoothness in the brain of the falcon as it reaches a potential speed of 240 MPH!
You think it ends there? It doesn't! Continued...
