Why can you see heat waves in your peripheral view but not when you focus on them?

Question

I was in line at the bank yesterday and it got me all squiggly

In: Physics

Answer 1

Not an expert, but I’d guess it’s concerned with hunting. While you’re concentrated on a target you don’t really need to know everything happening at the sides, but you *do* want to know if something moves or shift as it could be something hunting you.