The secrets of salamander toes

Salamanders don’t have wings but they can glide over treetops. The creatures are very skilled at grabbing onto, and letting go of, branches as they move. Researchers from Washington State University in the US have discovered that the secret to the animals’ super grip lies in the blood in their toes. The team was studying the behaviour of wandering salamanders and noticed that when they wanted to take a step forward, blood rushed to fill the ends of their toes. Once the salamanders put their foot down on a surface, the blood in the toes flowed back out. The blood movement changed the stiffness of their toes, which the scientists think affects their grip. Christian Brown, who led the study, said that the research could be useful for developing robotic…

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The Week Junior (UK) (Digital) - 1 Issue, 479

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