Slashdot Mirror
Howto - Flying Snakes
Ant writes "Wired News' Furthermore mentions a University of Chicago researcher finally figured out exactly how the limbless reptiles pull off their amazingly effective bird imitations. 'Despite their lack of winglike appendages, flying snakes are skilled aerial locomotors,' said biologist Jake Socha. Here's how: First, they flatten their bodies from head to tail, making themselves 'Frisbee-like in form,' Socha said. Then, as the snake drops (or leaps!) from a tree branch, it sends S-shaped waves through its body, steadying itself as it glides through the air. One species can even turn mid-flight. There is more information, photographs, and even short QuickTime video clips on Jake's Flying Snakes Home Page."
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~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey
Mirror of the flying snake "takeoff" and "gliding" videos.
(The author has also stated "You may use this video footage for non-publishing purposes without permission" on his web page. Not sure how much load it can handle, so I figured I'd mirror it. The author's page has more information and commentary; these are just the raw videos. They're very small, so there's a good chance his server could have handled it just fine.)
for the link to quicktime. I've been looking all over for that...
OK... I hated snakes BEFORE they could fly.
*shudder*
$0.02 (CDN)
so much as plummet."
-Monty Python
(Ok, it was sheep. but after watching those videos, I think it fits.)
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
Badgerbadgerbadgerbadger...
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
RS
Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
The secret to flying is throwing yourself at the ground and missing. Full quote
Just wait till you see the one's that can swallow a man whole.
They aren't so bad, as they're usually big and relatively slow and easy to stay well clear of... unless you're stupid.
My all-time "Darwin Award Nominee" is that Jim guy from the old Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.
The old guy (Merlin?) is back at the studio, all nice and safe, and he describes the adventures of Jim, the guy in the field.
I specifically remember the episode where Jim's in a small rowboat in some small water (pond or slow river) looking for Annacondas. Lucky them, they see the head of one in amongst some leaves/etc at the top of the water. The idiot proceeds to CLIMB INTO THE WATER to get the thing.
Now, I'm betting that this snake turned out to be WAY bigger than Jim was thinking it was, as he started to get a little "nerveous" as the thing started to coil up around him. The snake looked about 30 feet long and a good 400 lbs.
Before you know it, it's got a couple of big-ass loops around Jim and they're starting to roll around in the water, and Jim's starting to REALLY try and stay above water and get back in the boat, and all the while Merlin is giving the "old guy" running commentary like this is nothing new. "Look as Jim heroicly struggles to get the snake in the bag so we can take it ashore and analyze it a little closer."
Jim was as crazy as Steve Erwin (Crikey!), but in a more reserved, 70's, quiet manner.
$0.02 (CDN)
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: And thou shalt fling thyself from trees in a pathetic attempt at flying, and thou shalt hurtle towards the earth faster than thou canst say, "Holy Crap!", and men shall laugh and point fingers and cry out, O, silly snakey pooh! Erm, "paraphrased" from Gen 3:14
'Flying Snake Howto' pfft.
I was all pumped up for a meat-modding exerciose that told me how to convert my existing snake into a flying one with cool neons and shit.
It's just a stupid science article.
Flying snake - looks like more of a controlled fall.
Flying Squirrel - not really flying, but one hell of a long jump.
Flying Fish - Really, truly looks like it's flying. It's not just an extra-long jump.. they litereally glide over the water, just like a bird flying low.. for up to 100m. I've seen them in person, it's insane.
Therefore I declare that the flying fish is the only one that really deserves the name.
Flying snakes, however, differ from all of these in one rather interesting way: they will actually move the airfoil while airborne, and appear to be swimming through the air. What's interesting is that the glide angle gets shallower when they do this. This suggests three possibilities: (1) this behavior reduces drag, (2) this behavior increases lift, or (3) this behavior produces thrust.
The last would be really interesting: if flying snakes can actually produce thrust while airborne (even if they can't develop enough thrust for horizontal flight), then they would be only the fifth animal group (alongside insects, pterosaurs, bats, and birds) to evolve true powered flight.
Because then:
1. A lot of beautiful women would owe me sex.
2. Cleveland would win the World Series.
3. My boss would make me a vice president.
4. My dotcom options would be valid and profitable.
5. Slashdot posters would be lucid and intelligible.
6. George Lucas would retire the StarWars franchise.
7. Microsoft would GPL their entire code base.
8. SCO would fully support OSS once again.
9. The RIAA/MPAA would make financial restitution to all their victims.
10. ???
11. Profit-...! Umm, where was I again?
Solomon Kevin Chang
"Twice half-assed makes an ass whole." --Solomon K. Chang