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Comment by hk__2 | Hacker News Reader

> Am I crazy for thinking that might be the case?

I don’t know; but I wish they would be able to adapt so rapidly. Think how after thousands of years they still don’t understand they can’t fly through transparent glass.

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Flying into transparent glass under their own power isn't something that kills an insect, so there won't be any selection mechanism at work.

One of the other things to consider is the windshield/windscreen phenomenon[0]:

  > If you talk to people, they have a gut feeling. They remember how insects used to smash on your windscreen...
  > I used to have to wash my car all the time. It was always covered with insects.

I suppose there might be a selection mechanism at play there. Perhaps some insects have learned to avoid flying over comparably warmer swaths of pavement?

I still think the news here is pretty frightening.

[0] http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/where-have-all-insect...

It also depends on which side of the Gnat Line you're driving. :)

http://southofthegnatline.blogspot.com/p/gnat-line-101_28.ht...

You're grossly overestimating the period in which window glass has been commonplace.

"Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall." Noted for its novelty, 1597.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardwick_Hall

Transparent glass doesn't kill them so it doesn't exert any evolutionary pressure.

Probably not the same thing as most don't die when they hit the window

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