As humans, we have an extremely strong bone that surrounds are brain, called our skull. We can think of our skull as if it were an egg, except for how fragile an egg obviously is. An egg is oval shaped, so if you hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze it, it’s hard to crack. In the same way, our skull is shaped as an oval. This allows blunt force to be distributed around our head, which prevents concussions or brain damage. However, if you get hit in the head by a baseball, it is inevitable that you would be get a concussion. Does this theory apply to everyone? Even woodpeckers? How come woodpeckers can smash their tiny beaks against the hard bark of a tree countless times, and still be able to fly away perfectly unharmed? A human would easily receive a concussion, so what is the woodpeckers’ secret?
A group of scientists held an experiment to solve the mystery of how woodpeckers somehow resist any type of brain damage. The scientists placed a woodpecker in a metal cage that had a slow-motion camera and a force sensor attached to one of the cage walls. By studying the force, path and strategy of the bird, scientists were lead to believe that the answer lied in the shape of the birds skull, and also the strength of their beak.
Scientists used CT scans to model the shape of the woodpeckers skull. They then made realistic models of these skulls, and smashed them. By smashing the models, scientists were able to study how the impact was distributed across the skull. They discovered that woodpeckers’ heads are almost like bike shocks. The bones in the woodpeckers skull have the ability to keep the brain comfortable, thus avoiding any type of brain damage or discomfort. Woodpeckers’ contain one specific bone in their skull called the hyoid bone. This particular structure acts as a seatbelt for their brains, by wrapping around the entire skull.
All in all, a woodpecker’s skull and beak have evolved to be able to safely take the brunt of impact that is caused by pecking a tree constantly. By using plate-like bone structures, and a low contoured beak, the birds are able to accept harsh impact without any damage.
Maybe one day humans will be able to smash their heads against trees over and over again without any harm. Maybe that’s also just wishful thinking right?
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070605145716AA3X3lB
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/plosable/woodpeckers
This is so interesting. I think this is a great example of how evolution can help a species. There is no way humans could hit their head against a tree over and over again every time we need to eat. Here is a link to a list of other cool adaptions that species have http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/ten-new-or-newly-discovered-animal-evolutions-including-humans
This is a really cool post. I hand’t even ever thought about this in the slightest. It is true that if humans were to hit their heads on trees, we would get concussions. Especially if we had to do it everyday of our lives. It is quite amazing that they have a bone that acts like a seatbelt. I found this article that further discusses this topic. It’s pretty cool! http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/woodpecker_facts/323/
I saw the title of your post and had to read it! I never have thought of the fact that woodpeckers do hit their heads against a tree and don’t get seriously injured by it like if a human was to do so. It also makes me wonder why woodpecker’s peck wood? On http://www.fws.gov/nevada/nv_species/urban_wildlife/woodpecker.htm , it is said that they look for nests and food within the wood and try to peck it out with their beaks.