Chameleons can look in two different directions at the same time.

Chameleons possess a unique visual system known as 'independent eye movement' or 'strabismus.' Their eyelids are fused into a cone-shaped structure with only a small pinhole for the pupil, which sits on a highly mobile turret. This anatomy allows each eye to rotate 180 degrees horizontally and 90 degrees vertically, covering a full 360-degree field of vision without moving the head.Research published in the journal 'Current Biology' by Hadas Ketter Katz and Gadi Katzir at the University of Haifa explored how these reptiles process dual visual streams. The study found that while the eyes move independently, the brain can switch between them rapidly. This state is called 'monocular independence,' where each eye scans the environment for different stimuli like prey or threats.When a chameleon identifies a potential meal, it undergoes a process called 'binocular convergence.' Both eyes swivel forward to focus on the same point, allowing the brain to calculate distance through stereopsis. This depth perception is critical because the chameleon's tongue can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just a hundredth of a second.The transition from independent scanning to binocular focus is controlled by the midbrain's optic tectum. This neural coordination ensures the chameleon doesn't miss its target, which is often a small, fast-moving insect. This dual-mode vision is one of the most sophisticated optical adaptations in the animal kingdom, providing a significant evolutionary advantage for both survival and hunting.