"Uncovering Earth's Remarkable Fossil Eyes"
Fossilized caddisflies from the McGraths Flat site in New South Wales, dating back 11 to 16 million years, have remarkably well-preserved compound eyes with a corneal nanocoating that could inspire new products such as anti-reflective and hydrophobic coatings. The fossils also reveal insights into the ancient insects' soft tissue preservation and the unstable paleoenvironment at that time.