AskNature

Hoverflies use a rolling maneuver to right themselves when taking off from upside down.

The spine of hero shrews is remarkably strong yet flexible, due to interlocking vertebral spines along the spinal column.

Many mammals can suspend development of embryos to deliver at more favorable times. 

Genes of giraffes maintain cardiac health despite high blood pressure by keeping thickened heart muscles supple.

Naked mole rat queens stay reproductive through long lives by maintaining the health of a large number of egg cells.

Marmots maintain strong bones during hibernation by building up without breaking down.

Body of the dung beetle reduces soil ahesion via non-smooth surface morphology.

Dragonfly wings are lined with sensors that help the insect navigate using information about airflow and wing strain.

Taller bumps compensate for loss of friction due to polar bears' relatively smaller paw pads. 

A single protein found in bloodworms performs six distinct functions critical for the formation and performance of the creature's jaw.

The carton nests of jet ants are reinforced by the hyphae of resident fungi.

The Dufour's gland of plasterer bees protects their nests from water by secreting a natural polyester.

Leaves full of holes help the Swiss cheese plant capture intermittent light

The wooly hairs of the alpine edelweiss intercept and de-energize harmful ultraviolet radiation before it reaches the plant’s cells.

Nests of wasps are sturdy because they incorporate fibers in a parallel pattern.

Temnothorax ants adjust to colony growth or diminution by shedding and reconstructing their nests.

Entrances to ant nests protect them from flooding during high tide by collapsing to block the opening.

Moths use changes in speed and altitude to maintain trajectory despite changes in windspeed and direction.

Tiny leg hairs help spiders sense subtle air movement by conducting it directly to nerve cells.

When pelican wings glide close to water, they use “ground effect” to maximize lift, minimize drag, and conserve energy.

When bull snakes and their relatives bellow in defense, tissue boosts air flow as it passes over a single vocal cord to create an initial burst of sound.

Flying squirrels have membranes and cartilage that help them change lift and drag forces, enabling them to glide more than 100 times their body length.

Common reeds and other wetland plants transport gases through a network of spaces between their cells.

The tree-hole frog amplifies the sound of its call by adjusting its pitch to match the resonant frequency of its surroundings.

Mycorrhizal network sustains diversity in a forest by transporting nutrients and water.

The seeds of yew trees are protected from being eaten by large animals because they contain poisonous compounds called taxanes.

The cuticular wax of the dwarf mountain pine enhances photosynthesis by using fluorophores that convert UV light into blue light that can be used for photosynthesis under low-light conditions.

The leading edge of the tornado-like spinning maple seed provides a constant lift force, allowing seeds to disperse over a greater area.

Trees in cloud forests cope with the dry season by absorbing water from clouds directly through their leaves.

Nepenthes pitcher plants and treeshrews maintain a mutually beneficial relationship by exchanging nutrients.

Cellulose fibers in plant stems increase toughness by winding around tubes at an angle

Trunks and branches of trees withstand external stresses through load-adaptive growth.

Roots of longleaf pine protect from strong winds by forming both large anchoring taproots and a widespread lateral root system.

The mud nest of the apostlebird is a sturdy home high in the trees, built using a jiggled-mud construction technique.

The cooling effects of shade trees in subtropical regions are most influenced by foliage density and leaf thickness, leaf texture, and leaf color lightness.

The trunks of pine trees withstands wind and snow via spiral growth.

Air-filled sacs in the pollen grains of pine trees allow pollen to travel farther through the air

Deciduous trees allow more water to reach the soil and seep into streams by seasonally shedding leaves that lose water via evaporation.

Resin produced by conifer trees protects from mechanical or insect damage because it flows, then hardens to seal the wound site.

Tall, wide trees in the forests of the Pacific Northwest serve as nurse logs to their seedlings after they fall, providing decades of water and nutrients as they slowly decay.

Bark of trees keeps surface cool by minimizing absorption of solar light and maximizing thermal emission

The structure of the cells in xylem passively moves water from roots to leaves through a system of chambers and valves, and filters out pathogens.

Trees along rivers help retain carbon in an ecosystem by adding organic debris and slowing down water.

Sharp claws on squirrel feet increase vertical agility by giving strategic points of attachment while other body structures shift direction.

Bristlecone pines can survive for thousands of years in harsh environments by shutting down non-essential processes.

Flowering of grass trees following a fire may be triggered by a huge release of ethylene gas as the trees burn.

Roots of broad-based trees with stiff trunks resist uprooting through compressive buttressing.

Bottlenose dolphins develop lifelong friendships early on that will benefit them through shared information, cooperation, and other means.

Dolphins send out broadband whistles and bursts of clicks to prevent messages from being distorted underwater.

New generations of bottlenose dolphins adapt to changing situations by learning from peers and not just mothers.

Humpback whales control movement of prey by blowing spiraling nets of bubbles underwater.

The skin of pilot whales resists microorganisms thanks to microscopic pores and nanoridges, surrounded by a secreted enzymatic gel which denatures proteins and carbohydrates.

The tail fluke of the humpback whale breaks through the water as the tail is moved up and down, enabling powerful swimming.

Baleen whales use fringed sheets of keratin to strain food from water before they swallow.

The blood vessel network in the tongues of gray whales precools blood to avoid heat loss via counter-current heat exchange.

The body of the dolphin has low friction in water by having an optimal length to diameter ratio.

Veins and arteries of Cuvier's beaked whales manage heat through different configurations of counter-current heat exchangers.

The blubber of the bottlenose dolphin absorbs heat by acting as a phase change material

The flippers of the humpback whale channel flow and increase aerodynamic efficiency due to tubercles or bumps.

Baleen in throat of bowhead whale traps prey by tangling fringed edges together.

Chirps of dolphins carry through water because they are multi-rate, ultra-short wave forms.

The members of spinner dolphin pods stun and capture fish by emitting ultrasonic beams.

Whales navigate with incredible accuracy underwater using Earth's magnetic fields.

High resolution biosonar of dolphins, bats and mole rats gives an accurate imaging by using real-time data processing.

Lungs of whales efficiently expel air via powerful exhalations.

Genes of giraffes maintain cardiac health despite high blood pressure by keeping thickened heart muscles supple.

A complex arrangement of materials in the weevils' slender snouts make them strong and flexible.

Bird bones aid in attaining flight because they are thin and dense, not because they are lightweight.

Wings of beetles fold multiple times without wear or fatigue by having resilin in key joints.

The hard outer coverings of some sea urchins, called tests, allow local deformation that may resist impact loading by incorporating collagen-swathed sutures.

The cells of lesser clubmoss plants prevent deformation during repeated dehydration via small vacuoles filled with mechanical mixtures called colloids.

Scales of integument of the Kenyan sand boa minimize abrasive damage by having a gradient in the material properties.

One provides shelter, the other provides fertilizer, and both are better off for it.

The respiratory system of birds facilitates efficient exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen by using air sacs to maintain a continuous unidirectional airflow through the lungs.

Blood-filled sinuses within the eye sockets of horned lizards squirt blood in self-defense by swelling and rupturing.

Guard cells use osmotic pressure to open and close stomata, allowing plants to regulate the amount of water and solutes within them. 

Long scales on the underhair of otters and fur seals trap air to retain heat and prevent water penetration.

Bees and wasps build space-efficient and strong nests using hexagonal cells.

Leaves of the sensitive plant protect themselves from predators and environmental conditions by folding in response to touch.

By absorbing the sun’s blue and red light, chlorophyll loses electrons, which become mobile forms of chemical energy that power plant growth.

A slight rise in humidity triggers pine cones to curl up their scales to prevent ineffective seed dispersal in wet weather.

The silica skeleton of the Venus’s flower-basket sea sponge is tough and stable because multiple levels of organization each help to manage forces.