Flying Snakes

belgin writes "For those who never cease to be fascinated by the strange stuff you can find on our own planet, add snakes to the list of animals that can 'fly' without real wings. CNN's story covers this interesting phenomenon. Chicago researcher Jake Socha, says that the Singapore Paradise tree snakes glide as well as flying squirrels without the assistance of wing flaps. He is using a pair of cameras and unnamed software to construct a 3D biomechanical model of what the snakes do that lets them glide. This may inspire a few more cool projects. Apparently, the Twin-barred and Golden tree snakes from the same area pulls the same stunt. FlyingSnake.org, Socha's web site, might be a good place to start for more details, but it seems rather under construction."

Comments

My mommy always used to point out

[unDiWahn]

"You can do anything if you try hard enough"
Me: "It doesn't matter how hard I flap my arms, I'll never be able to fly!"

Only now I see it can be done!

'Xcuse me while I go stand out in the middle of a field and flap my arms like a airtraffic conductor having an epilectic seizure.

Heh, love how science works

[Guru1]

Quote from the article:

"Occasionally, when the snake wouldn't move, I'd give it a prod", Socha says, "and sit there and wait and hope it would jump off." Socha says none of the reptiles got hurt during these flying exercises, done at the Singapore Zoological Gardens.

Science words translated as: The stupid snake wouldn't fly for me, so I pushed him off the branch.

Big deal

[Violet Null]

Gold dragons have been able to fly without wings since 1st edition AD&D.

Snakes...

[docbrown42]

Why does it have to be snakes?

-Ed

docbrown.net
Graphic Design, Web Design, Role-Playing Games...all the good stuff

nope, must be a fraud

[bcrowell]

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

• Genesis 3:14