[NatureNS] Article re: How Woodpeckers Peck

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*Hard Headedness*

"New research into the skulls of woodpeckers has shown just how it is that
they don't suffer brain injury when pecking away at a tree. They can hit
the bark of a tree with a force greater than 1,000 times that of gravity
(1,000 G's). Previous studies had shown that thick neck muscles diffuse the
blows and a third inner eyelid keeps the eye from "popping" out, but it
wasn't understood how their brain could survive the forces in play.

Thanks to new research at Beihang University in Beijing and the Wuhan
University of Technology, it has been shown that there is a thick bone
which cushions the brain. Not only that, but the skull surrounding the
brain is made up of a thick, spongy plate like bone. There are also a
number of "beam like" structures providing a mesh like structure, giving
the bone it's sponge like structure."

For more information:
http://www.livescience.com/19586-woodpecker-skull-concussions.html


-- 
Blake Maybank <bmaybank@gmail.com>
White's Lake, Nova Scotia
My Blog:  *CSI: Life* <http://blakemaybank.com>

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<font size=3D"4"><u><b>Hard Headedness</b></u><br><br>&quot;New research in=
to the skulls of woodpeckers has shown just how it is that they don&#39;t s=
uffer brain injury when pecking away at a tree. They can hit the bark of a =
tree with a force greater than 1,000 times that of gravity (1,000 G&#39;s).=
 Previous studies had shown that thick neck muscles diffuse the blows and a=
 third inner eyelid keeps the eye from &quot;popping&quot; out, but it wasn=
&#39;t understood how their brain could survive the forces in play.<br>

<br>Thanks to new research at Beihang University in Beijing and the Wuhan U=
niversity of Technology, it has been shown that there is a thick bone which=
 cushions the brain. Not only that, but the skull surrounding the brain is =
made up of a thick, spongy plate like bone. There are also a number of &quo=
t;beam like&quot; structures providing a mesh like structure, giving the bo=
ne it&#39;s sponge like structure.&quot;<br>

<br>For more information:<br><a href=3D"http://www.livescience.com/19586-wo=
odpecker-skull-concussions.html">http://www.livescience.com/19586-woodpecke=
r-skull-concussions.html</a></font><br><br><br>-- <br><font size=3D"4"><a h=
ref=3D"mailto:bmaybank@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">Blake Maybank</a><br>



White&#39;s Lake, Nova Scotia</font><font size=3D"4"><br>My Blog:=A0 <a hre=
f=3D"http://blakemaybank.com" target=3D"_blank"><b>CSI: Life</b></a><span o=
nmouseout=3D"cancel =3D false; window.setTimeout(WRCHideContent, 1000); cle=
arTimeout(showTimer);" onmouseover=3D" var self =3D this; showTimer =3D win=
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:-1,&#39;weight&#39;:-1},&#39;flags&#39;:{},&#39;single&#39;:false,&#39;ttl=
&#39;:7200,&#39;expireTime&#39;:&#39;20120411084851&#39;}, self.className)}=
,600);" class=3D"wrc0" style=3D"padding-right:16px;width:16px;height:16px">=
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an style=3D"padding-right:16px;width:16px;height:16px"></span><span style=
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g-right:16px;width:16px;height:16px"></span><br>

<br></font><br>

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