HOW DO WOODPECKERS PROTECT THEIR BRAINS?
The woodpecker is an example of how evolution has protected the brains of some animals from repetitive head injuries.
The woodpecker's tongue extends through the back of the mouth out of the nostril, encircling the entire cranium. It is the anatomical equivalent of a safety belt for its brain.
By circling the brain, the tongue of the woodpecker provides protection and cushions the impact against the surrounding skull.
The tongue of a woodpecker acts as a seat-belt for its brain, protecting the delicate organ from violent collisions with the surrounding cranium. Woodpeckers have evolved this technique but several other animals have not - including humans
In recent years, helmets have centred around this adaptation.
New research from Boston University has found that the brains of woodpeckers show increased amount of tau, a protein which is often found in humans with neurodegenerative illnesses.
Despite this link with increased tau, scientists saw that the woodpeckers have no negative symptoms.
Researchers think that the woodpecker brain could help in treating illnesses such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.