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