In-specs: the critters wearing 3D glasses!

I bet you've never seen this before - an insect wearing 3D glasses!

Yep, we know it looks quite cool but it is also kind of weird. There is a good reason for it though.

Scientists at Newcastle University made the specs because they wanted to find about more about the way these insects - praying mantises - see.

They're hoping this will help to develop better robots.

The glasses aren't permanent and have been stuck on using beeswax.

Like humans, praying mantises have 3D, or stereo, vision - it's what helps us work out how far away things are.

It means each eye sees a slightly different view of the world.

Our brain then merges the two images to create one - which helps us work out things like distances, for example.

Other animals have stereo vision too, including monkeys, cats, horses, owls and toads, but the only insect to have it is the praying mantis.

Pictures from Newcastle University

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