The Physics of Snake Movement within the Mojave Desert
According to a recent study from Emory University, some species of snakes have a unique method of movement called "sidewinding," where they move sideways by leading with their midsections instead of their heads like other snakes. To examine the role of skin in this method of movement, researchers studied the skin of sidewinders and found that their bellies have small pits and few to no spikes, which is different from other snakes. Previous studies suggested that sidewinding helps snakes move better on sandy slopes and prevent avalanches. The researchers used a mathematical model to study the impact of these skin structures on frictional interactions with surfaces, revealing that head-to-tail pointing spikes are useful for forward undulation but not sidewinding. The Mojave Desert sidewinder has evolved alongside a sandy environment for about the last 20,000 years, compared to the African species of the Saharan Desert, where sandy conditions appeared over 7 million years ago. This could explain why the Mojave species still has some micro spikes present.
Title photo by Sarah Berryman
