This Fly’s Face Does WHAT? | Deep Look

For these four animals, extreme makeovers are just a part of life. A house fly larva needs a radical transformation before it’s totally ready to annoy you. A hungry caterpillar goes on a protein bender to fuel its ultimate glow-up into a butterfly. The axolotl simply refuses to grow up, while the planarian worm has no problem growing a whole new body – and even a head – whenever it needs one.

00:00 Introduction

00:29 This fly's face does WHAT?

04:22 Why are scientists chopping flatworms in half?

08:08 The axolotl holds the key to the fountain of youth

12:27 Imagine if your one job was to eat

👉 Donate to KQED, the public media station that makes Deep Look: https://donate.kqed.org/deeplook

SIGN UP for Deep Look’s newsletter, Nature Unseen: https://bit.ly/NatureUnseenSignUp

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@KQEDDeepLook?sub_confirmation=1

---+ Find a transcript on KQED Science:

https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2026/09/29/extreme-makeovers-arent-just-a-human-thing/

---+ More great Deep Look episodes:

The Slimy Details Behind Banana Slug Mating

https://youtu.be/1VGBy04nIjA

These Lovebugs Have Attachment Issues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XJYo3FuvFc

Watch Salamanders Skydive!

https://youtu.be/Dk8r7O8KDqg

---+ Thank you to our top Patreon supporters ($10+ per month)!

Name

Giancarlo Yzcali Lizarraga

Alex Butler

Bridget Kelly

Duane Westhoff

Christopher Williams

Elena De La Paz

manamonarch

Julia

R

Wised1000

STEPHANIE DOLE

J Schumacher

The Mighty X

Marilyn Schiffman

LAUREL PRZYBYLSKI

wormy boi

Laurel Przybylski

Jeremiah Sullivan

Mehdi

Carrie Mukaida

KayLa

Cristen Rasmussen

Wade Tregaskis

Burt Humburg

Noreen Herrington

Roberta K Wright

xkymon

Louis O'Neill

Titania Juang

El Samuels

Laurel Przybylski

Companion Cube

Karen Reynolds

David Deshpande

Daisuke Goto

Elizabeth Ann Ditz

Levi Cai

Craig Rosa

---+ Follow Deep Look and KQED Science on social:

TikTok: / deeplookofficial

Patreon: / deeplook

Instagram: / kqedscience

Twitter/X: / kqedscience

---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS member station in San Francisco, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media.

Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios and the members of KQED.

#insects #wildlife #bugs #4kvideo #deeplook #kqed #4k #4knature