Why Woodpeckers Don’t Get Concussions: The Surprising Science Behind Their Superpower
Published on: Feb. 22, 2026, 12:02 p.m. | Source: The Economic Times
Woodpeckers peck trees up to 20 times a second. Experts once believed they had built-in shock absorbers. New research reveals their skulls do not absorb shock. Instead, their heads move as a single rigid structure. Small brain size, minimal brain movement, strong bones, muscles, and brief impacts protect them. This is nature's engineering marvel.
