This is probably a silly question, but when I walk to the Metro in the morning, I walk eastward, and the morning sun really bothers me. So:
Why is the sun too bright to look at? Shouldn’t evolution have provided eyes that can handle looking directly at the sun?
I’m trying to make this question as non-homocentric as possible. Are there any animals that can stare at the sun without eye damage?
WAG alert:
Look as it as a tradeoff. You could have less sensitive eyes that could look at the sun all day long, but you’d lose some of the ability to see things around you.
Looking at the sun really isn’t all that useful in the wilds. It’s usually straight up above. The only time you really need to look up in the wild is when there may be something in a tree above you, in which case the trees will block most of the sun. When the sun is lower in the sky, in the morning and evening, it’s less bright.
Why is the sun too bright to look at? Shouldn’t evolution have provided eyes that can handle looking directly at the sun? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
What for? It would be a tremendous waste of resources: to create a retina and neurons which would work in 10^10 range of light. It’s more advantageous to be sensitive in the dark.
I’m trying to make this question as non-homocentric as possible. Are there any animals that can stare at the sun without eye damage?>>>>>>>>>>>
NO.
Evolution has provided us (or at least some of us) enough brains to avoid looking directly into the sun. Evolution has provided us with the perception of pain. I, personally, wear a hat if I absolutely MUST go outside when the sun is shining.