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Why donβt woodpeckers get brain damage?
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β Why donβt woodpeckers get brain damage?π The short answerWoodpeckers avoid brain damage thanks to special adaptations in their anatomy. Their skull, jaws, eyes, and tongue are all uniquely designed to help absorb the impact of the constant pecking and prevent concussions and retinal damage. π The long answerTo us humans, banging your head against a wall sounds like a regrettable moment of frustration. To woodpeckers, it sounds like a Tuesday. Woodpeckers rapidly peck trees so they can uncover food, create nesting spots, and communicate with other birds. The pileated woodpecker native to North America can peck up to 20 times per second, up to 12,000 a day, with a force of 1,200 g each time (where g refers to gravitational force). That would be like a human smacking their face at a wall at 16 mph (~25 km/h). Ouch. The head pounding bird has evolved with several mechanisms to prevent brain damage, concussions, retinal hemorrhages, and, frankly, their eyes popping out of their heads. Reason #1: A woodpecker's skull, brain, and jaw have evolved to protect against damage.To start, the woodpeckerβs skull is made up of fairly spongy bone to help absorb the impact, and there is also very little fluid surrounding the brain, which makes sure there isnβt a lot of room for the brain to bounce around. Strong jaw muscles tighten up a millisecond before the strike to create a snug cushioned surface and spread the force of the impact. Additionally, their brain weight to surface area ratio is quite small, which makes the impact of the peck spread over a larger area, reducing the likelihood of a concussion compared to us larger-brained animals. Reason #2: A woodpecker's eyes are designed to prevent the eyeballs from popping out.Woodpeckersβ eyes also have a few tricks up their sleeves. Right before the impact, a third eyelid closes over and acts like a seatbelt to prevent the eyeball from popping out of the socket. They also have extra cushioning reduce strain and part of the eyeball fills with blood to temporarily increase the pressure to keep the eye in place. Reason #3: A woodpecker's unique tongue helps absorb the impact.Lastly (and this oneβs my favorite), woodpeckersβ tongues act as a sort of sling to absorb the impact of the peck. Their tongue uniquely starts at the top of the beak, wraps around the head, and comes back forward through the lower jaw.
Every time the woodpecker strikes its beak against a tree, the tongue acts as a shock absorber. Their tongues are incredibly long, stretching out as far as 4 inches (~10 cm)! As a bonus for getting to the end of this newsletter, here's a picture of a juvenile woodpecker sticking out its tongue. π
βSources for this week's newsletterβ
π Book of the weekβEndurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alan LansingβI love reading tales of epic survival, and this one just shot up to the top of my list of favorites. This book walks you through the absolutely harrowing and unbelievable story of Ernest Shackleton's attempt to cross Antarctica in 1914. When the boat got stuck (and subsequently crushed) by the ice, Shackleton and his 27-man crew were stranded in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. A great story about how resilient humans are and what it takes to be a leader under such terrible circumstances. β π Catch up on other curious questions
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π‘ Today You Should Know
Learn something new every Friday. Join 2,000+ nerds and satisfy your curiosity one question at a time with topics including science, technology, history, and more.
How do laser pointers work? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Ana for submitting this question on behalf of your German shepherd, Arlo). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question π The short answer Laser pointers work by exciting atoms so their electrons release light. Mirrors inside the device amplify that light and force the waves to move together in a single direction, creating a narrow, focused beam that...
What makes you feel full when you're eating? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Rodrigo!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question π The short answer Feelings of fullness are triggered when your stomach physically stretches and hormones signal to your brain that youβve eaten enough. The food's nutritional content, your body fat and gut bacteria, as well as the variety of food on your plate all affect how...
Why does plastic turn yellow? π The short answer Plastics typically turn yellow due to photo-oxidation, a process where UV light and oxygen triggers a chain reaction that breaks down the material's chemical bonds. Over time, new molecular arrangements start to absorb more blue and violet light, making the plastic appear yellow. π The long answer Once upon a time, your retro gaming device, lawn chair, or other favorite older plastic object was brilliantly white. Now? It's yellow and brittle....