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----INTRO HI GUYS I’M CATIE WAYNE AND THIS IS ANIMALIST
NEWS FUN FACTS! IF WE HIT OUR HEAD AGAINST A TREE FOR A FEW
HOURS WE’D PROBABLY END UP WITH A WICKED BRAIN INJURY.
THE PILEATED WOODPECKER, HOWEVER, SPENDS ENTIRE DAYS SMACKING IT’S HEAD INTO TREES WITH
A FORCE OF FIFTEEN MILES PER HOUR AND TWENTY TIMES A SECOND.
SO HOW DO WOODPECKERS AVOID GETTING HEADACHES? FORM AND PHYSICAL FEATURES GO HAND IN HAND…
OR SHOULD I SAY WING IN WING? USING STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW, HEAD ON STRIKES,
A WOODPECKER IS ABLE TO FIND FOOD, BUILD A NEST, OR ATTRACT A MATE.
WITHIN ONE MILLISECOND BEFORE THE BEAK TOUCHES THE BARK, DENSE MUSCLES IN THE NECK CONTRACT
SO THAT FORCE FROM THE IMPACT DOESN’T REACH THE SKULL.
AT THE SAME TIME, A THICK INNER EYELID CLOSES TO KEEP THE EYEBALLS FROM POPPING OUT DUE
TO ACCELERATION AND TO PROTECT THE EYES FROM PIECES OF WOOD BOUNCING OFF THE TREE.
IN THE SKULL, SCIENTISTS FOUND A SPONGY BONE BEHIND THE FOREHEAD WHICH MAY ACT AS A SHOCK
ABSORBER FOR THE BRAIN. UNLIKE HUMAN BRAINS, WOODPECKER BRAINS ARE
TIGHTLY CONFINED BY MUSCLES WHICH HELP KEEP THEIR BRAIN FROM BANGING AROUND.
AND AS IF THEY DIDN’T ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH PROTECTION, THE TISSUE LAYER ON THE UPPER
BEAK IS LARGER THAN THE BOTTOM ONE BUUUUTTTT THE BONE STRUCTURE ON THE LOWER BEAK IS LONGER.
ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS AT BEIHANG UNIVERSITY, THIS IS SO THAT IMPACT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED
AWAY FROM THE BRAIN. WHAT’S THE HARDEST YOU’VE EVER HIT YOUR
HEAD? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE OTHER VIDEOS AND SUBSCRIBE.
OUTRO