How Do Snakes 'Stand' Upright Nearly Stick-Straight? New Research Points to How They Pull Off the Gravity-Defying Feat
Sarah Kuta
Snakes are biological engineering marvels. They have no arms or legs, yet some of these creatures can stand nearly straight upright, erecting long lengths of their soft, flexible bodies vertically like flagpoles.
But how do snakes defy gravity and remain balanced in this seemingly precarious position? Scientists recently unraveled this biological mystery, and they say their findings could one day help improve the design of robots.
To stand upright, snakes do not activate muscles throughout...