New Scientist video round-up - March 20, 2008

TL;DR

Geckos use tails for acrobatics, robots mimic gecko movements, falcons glide like paragliders, and squirrels' learning linked to stress hormone.

Transcript

hello and welcome to this week's video roundup my name's sean o'neill and i'll be taking you through the week's best science videos first out of the hat acrobatic geckos catherine brahick tells us how they use their tails to perform some funky moves geckos are good climbers because of their sticky feet but researchers are now finding out that their... Read More

Key Insights

• 😒 Geckos use tails for climbing and acrobatics, influencing robot design.
• 🧗 Robots like Capuchin mimic human-like climbing movements for faster climbing.
• ✈️ Paragliders and falcons utilize thermal columns similarly for flight.
• 🍻 Squirrels' learning abilities are linked to stress hormone levels.
• ✈️ Falcon flight patterns can be compared to paragliders' movements.
• 🙂 Understanding hormones like cortisol in animals can shed light on human learning.
• 🤖 Robot design can be inspired by both gecko and human climbing techniques.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do geckos use their tails for climbing?

Geckos use their tails to regain footing when one foot slips off a wall. If both feet lose grip, the tail acts like a kickstand to push them back up.

Q: How have robots been inspired by geckos and humans for climbing?

Geckos inspired robots with mechanical tails for climbing, while new climbing robots like Capuchin mimic human-like climbing movements.

Q: What similarity was found in paragliders and falcons' flight patterns?

Both paragliders and falcons utilize thermal columns to stay aloft, with falcons moving similarly to champion paragliders from thermal to thermal.

Q: How did stress levels in squirrels affect their learning abilities?

Squirrels with low or high levels of the stress hormone cortisol performed poorly in learning tasks, while squirrels with moderate levels were the best learners.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Geckos use tails for climbing and acrobatics, influencing robot design.

• Robots inspired by geckos and humans designed for climbing.

• Falcon flight compared to paragliders, with similar thermal utilization, and squirrels' learning linked to stress hormone.