Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Howto - Flying Snakes

Posted by Zonk on from the weeee! dept.

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."

5 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    for the link to quicktime. I've been looking all over for that...

  2. I hated them before... by nettdata · · Score: 5, Funny

    OK... I hated snakes BEFORE they could fly.

    *shudder*

    --



    $0.02 (CDN)
  3. Ooh, snake! A snake! by FlyByPC · · Score: 5, Funny

    Badgerbadgerbadgerbadger...

    --
    Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
  4. Who Says God Doesn't Have a Sense of Humor? by bowloframen · · Score: 5, Funny

    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

  5. On pseudo-flying animals. by mindstrm · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.