Secrets of Slithering Snakes - Science Nation

Slithering snakes teach scientists about movement and design. Snakes and math - much of the population is afraid of one, or both. But David Hu, mathematician and mechanical engineer, combines those two sometimes scary things to unlock the secrets of how animals move.
Snakes certainly make it look easy when they slither forward, leaving perfect S-curve tracks behind them, but scientists have long been puzzled by the mechanics of their locomotion. Now, after a series of experiments and some computer modeling, David Hu has cracked the case. With funding from the National Science Foundation, he is using math to determine how snakes slither and it turns out they move in a very different way than scientists have long thought.
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[@geminianpoet]

Thanks for a great video! My 5-year-old had a lot of questions about snake movement, and your video taught us a lot. My son says, "This was a great snake show and Dr. Hu's a great scientist." Thanks again :)

[@Northwind000]

3:24 lmao

[@mitchsmix269]

got me too haha

[@beabea_arts]

Give them boops as a reward

[@bourbakis]

Learned something new from Hu's research. very cool.

[@1softkiss]

Awesome video and educational material !! I've raised snakes for 50 years and it's always wonderful to see that they have many great possibilities for our future if people can learn to conserve them.

[@MrCandyHouze]

This video is freakin delightful

[@mido222100]

''For many years researchers thought....'' Typical line

[@weltschmertzz]

That's the real Dr. Who

[@miguelanjos1]

i don't need to put my snake to sleep in order to feel her belly scales... lol

[@q-miiproductions878]

I thought snakes could hardly move on smooth surfaces! I underestimated them!

[@misogoop6]

I would love a snake jacket.

[@jeffreylebowski4927]

So how does the "straight line movement" work??? -.-

[@nmheath03]

Did a quick google search, and they're using their belly scales like legs

[@SonGoku-nk6os]

K

[@RagingSovereign]

AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!

[@snakesn40ozs92]

Those pueblan milksnakes must be high as a kite

[@RagingSovereign]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!

[@nickstorey4708]

k but why are they evil