Beetles take flight at 6,000 frames per second in this perspective-shifting short

Adrian Smith, who heads the Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University, is known for his videos that capture flying insects via ultra slow-motion and high-definition photography. Exquisite to watch, these images also offer new insights into the physics and biology of how small creatures are able to take to the air. For this video, which features 12 diverse beetles filmed at 6,000 frames per second, Smith enlisted the narrating skills of the US comedian Joe Pera, who is known for his calm, soothing voice. The resulting video makes for a charming and perhaps even perspective-shifting close-up on these small creatures, which, in everyday life, most people are far more likely to step over – or on – than examine and appreciate.