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.

human potential

[liquidice5]

Maybe they could create a large scale version of this, for sky diving covertly, if it worked, they might be able to make un detectable parachutes that are long and snake-like

I do not know the mechanics of something like this, but it would be cool if it would work

also, does anyone know if radar can detect regular parachutes, because you would think it could, but then again, rampant guessing is amuck

Re:human potential

[DavidYaw]

I don't know if radar can detect the parachutes, but it can detect the parachutist. Some of the guys I work with used to work on military radar, and one time they told me a story about going to the testing grounds in Arizona, and there were a couple of people sky diving that day, and the sky divers thought it was really cool that they could see this nice smooth arc of their fall on the radar screen. (The story was told from the perspective of "stupid sky divers were thrilled to have a couple thousand watts of radio energy pointed at them", but the point remains...)

So regardless of whether radar can pick up the parachute or a weird snake-shaped parachute, it can still pick up the parachutist.

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.

Re:Heh, love how science works

[cpeterso]

that sounds a lot like the (true!) urban legend about Disney filmmakers forcing lemmings to jump off a cliff. Contrary to popular belief, lemmings do not commit suicide en masse or leap from cliffs. However, Disney did not want reality to prevent a good movie.

Re:Great, Now not only on the ground, but in the s

[mberman]

At least they're not as bad as drop crocs

Re:Great, Now not only on the ground, but in the s

[uncoveror]

Those Asian flying snakes are nothing compared to the Eastern Flying Snake at Red River Gorge here in the States. It, the "Devil's Constrictor," and the flesh eating termites make that a very dangerous place.

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

Dude!

[Ethidium]

Imagine a beowulf cluster of those! Talk about having good physical security!

(somebody had to say it)

Ho Hum.

[MarkusQ]

At some point, they'll realize that all creatures can fly (under the proper circumstances). Of course, the best way to prove this to the hard-core skeptics (take an elephant, a trebuchete, and an attorney into a large open field...) will doublessly get PETA all miffed at you.

-- MarkusQ

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

They're in my hair! They're in my hair!

[teamhasnoi]

Get them out! Get them out!