Snake climbing a tree in any way?

A new study shows that, although snakes do not have legs, they have creative ways to avoid falling when climbing a tree by using the body's scale and muscles to increase friction by more than twice. with normal. The results of the study were published in the journal Royal Society Interface on June 13, 2012.

Snake knows to adjust contact and muscle scales to create friction to climb trees (Photo: Livescience)

In the study, the scientists observed that the corn snake climbed a wall that was 60 degrees sideways horizontally with bark. The snake pushed the body to the wall by expanding a series of contact areas and body contractions to stretch it forward. Accordingly, the wide area of ​​horizontal contact and abdominal muscles will create friction that helps the snake hold firmly.

According to scientists, to climb the wall, the snake used 9 times the muscle force of its body weight. The snake also has the ability to speed up quickly through wave shapes and small pushing areas in the abdomen. Therefore, snakes often choose to climb in terrain with channels and small channels.

From the study, scientists hope to use this knowledge to design a search and rescue robot capable of crawling like snakes in complex terrain like in rubble.

Reference: Livescience