Comment A few comments from the researcher (Score 2, Informative) 230
A few random comments about these postings:
Regarding the mirror of my site--thanks. The was so much traffic this weekend that the server was brought down. When I called the company, they said, "So YOU'RE the problem here..."
Gliding is a form of flight in which the flier can only move downward. Thrust is required to move upward. As was suggested, it would be very interesting to learn if a flying snake generates thrust (though not enough to overcome its weight).
I actually tried to use a contrasting sheet on the ground to improve the visuals, but the snakes would have none of it--they would glide anywhere but there. They have good vision, and seemed to prefer natural settings. I spent countless hours squinting while analyzing video, trying to make out white spots on a green and black snake against the green grass.
"Ultra light bones" The paradise tree snake is better gliders than its cousin the golden tree snake, and the paradise tree snake on the whole is less robust. I would like to test the idea that its bone structure is different (particularly, thinner-walled), but I haven't gotten to that yet. Similarly to many scientists, I have a long list of things I'd like to work on...
Regarding the "does it really" line of questioning: all gliders take a curved trajectory. At the end of the trajectory, the glider is moving at a shallower angle than at the beginning. For some of my snakes, they reached a glide angle of 13 degrees from the horizon. Not anywhere as good as a bird (2-4 degrees) or a man-made glider (even better), but impressive for an animal that in reality is a cylinder. I also suggest you look at some of the publications at http://www.flyingsnake.org/publications/publicatio ns.html -- there are many more details about the snakes' trajectories, particularly in the latest papers (2005).
-Jake Socha
Regarding the mirror of my site--thanks. The was so much traffic this weekend that the server was brought down. When I called the company, they said, "So YOU'RE the problem here..."
Gliding is a form of flight in which the flier can only move downward. Thrust is required to move upward. As was suggested, it would be very interesting to learn if a flying snake generates thrust (though not enough to overcome its weight).
I actually tried to use a contrasting sheet on the ground to improve the visuals, but the snakes would have none of it--they would glide anywhere but there. They have good vision, and seemed to prefer natural settings. I spent countless hours squinting while analyzing video, trying to make out white spots on a green and black snake against the green grass.
"Ultra light bones" The paradise tree snake is better gliders than its cousin the golden tree snake, and the paradise tree snake on the whole is less robust. I would like to test the idea that its bone structure is different (particularly, thinner-walled), but I haven't gotten to that yet. Similarly to many scientists, I have a long list of things I'd like to work on...
Regarding the "does it really" line of questioning: all gliders take a curved trajectory. At the end of the trajectory, the glider is moving at a shallower angle than at the beginning. For some of my snakes, they reached a glide angle of 13 degrees from the horizon. Not anywhere as good as a bird (2-4 degrees) or a man-made glider (even better), but impressive for an animal that in reality is a cylinder. I also suggest you look at some of the publications at http://www.flyingsnake.org/publications/publicati
-Jake Socha
