New insight into the functional principles of eye Evolution

A new study, led by the University of Vienna and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, shows how the eyes of adult marine bristleworms continue to grow throughout life – driven by a ring of neural stem cells reminiscent of vertebrate eyes. What's more, these stem cells respond to environmental light. The research, published in Nature Communications, offers new insight into the fundamental principles of eye evolution and the role of light in shaping the adult nervous system – even in organisms often considered rather simple.