u/No_Yesterday_8167

Because of the solar eclipse taking place in Europe today, it just got me thinking about how we look away instantly when we stare too long at the sun. Of course it’s harmful so that’s why we have a reflex towards it, staring at the sun has no evolutionary advantage. But in a solar eclipse there is no reflex, yet we still get the harmful rays and it can destroy our retina. It just got me thinking is the painlessness associated with damage to the retina in an eclipse because we simply ONLY evolved to look away because of light intensity? Our retina is still being harmed, so clearly this is the first line of defence for our eyes. So did our bodies just never bother developing pain sensing cells in our retina, because the light intensity aversion usually did the trick?

Love their little fawn session IPA