Lobster Eye Design Informs NASA X-Ray Detector

In a classic case of biology informing other areas of science, we have NASA scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center, Scott Barthelmy, Gerry Skinner and Jordan Camp who have built a new X-Ray astronomy instrument inspired by the design of a lobster eye with long, compound ommatidium or eye-elements that capture light from a wide number of angles.

An excellent paper from 1965 on the rhabdom of the lobster eye can be seen here.

Thanks to my friend Sean who sent along this article.