Bizarre Facts
Bizarre Fact:
The eye of an ostrich is bigger than its brain.
Quick Explanation:
Ostriches have massive eyes to spot predators, which take up more space in their skull than their walnut-sized brain.
The Full Story:
The **ostrich** is a bird of extremes: it's the largest bird, the fastest runner on two legs, and it lays the biggest eggs. It also has the largest eyes of any land animal, measuring about **2 inches (5 cm)** in diameter—roughly the size of a billiard ball.
These massive eyes are crucial for survival, allowing the flightless bird to spot predators like lions from great distances across the savanna. However, biology is a game of trade-offs. The eyes are so large that they take up the majority of the space in the skull, leaving little room for the brain. As a result, an ostrich's brain is smaller than one of its eyeballs, explaining why they aren't exactly known for their complex problem-solving skills.