Why did blinking evolve?

We blink all the time, but until recently, we didn't know how, why, and when blinking evolved.
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Produced by Complexly for PBS Digital Studios

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References:

[eatenman]

So they convergently evolved blinking entirely independent from land vertebrates? That's actually so cool

[johnvonkerman]

Instructions unclear: I accidentally fell in love with Blake instead

[tiromandal]

Plot twist : The dude is just tryna rizz us up with his beautiful eyes.

[SaltySteff]

Next video idea: how Blake become so handsome

[jaywalk]

Nice to see us all collectively down bad for Blake

[Orangnus]

I love how 90% of the comments are just thirsting on you.

[JimmyBlether]

And then boopnoodles and some geckos decided "nah, time to fuse our eyelids together" and instead have silly eyes with spectacles

[gustavoboscardin]

If you're reading this comment, you have engaged MANUAL BLINKING MODE

[BackYardScience]

"all living land vertebrates blink."

Snakes- "am I a joke to you?".

[laimawolf]

Your eyes are litterally hypnotising to look at, i love them.

[legendswarble]

I love the little pan dinosaur and bi otter in the background. Very cute ❤

[aroach]

And then for some reason a few reptiles decided they were too good for eyelids and blinking and decided they were gonna have eye scales

[dairydregone]

Mud Skipper: "I'm a fish who hasn't evolved into a land animal"

[A-Lagos]

My second favorite part of watching PBS Eons videos is scouring the hilarious comments anytime evolutionary biology is brought up. Didn’t know there were so many erudite scholars among the contrarians.

[voilet-the-non-violet-vulpix]

The fact that eyes have so consistently stayed wet instead of developing a mechanism where they don’t need to be wet is interesting

[glockenrein]

And how did blinking evolve to mean “I love you” when cats do it? 👀

[nd_Productions]

Bro that Dino in the background is adorable and I love those little flags❤

[isixqueenxofxmadness]

A handsome guy talking about inwards-sucking blinking. What more can I ask from the internet?

[Natashahoneypot]

Beautiful eyes. So blue, like people in distant sepia photos of the north of the UK.

[Bananeisafree]

- Hey blinkin !
- Did you say Abe Lincoln ?