February 1, 2013

Owl mystery unraveled: Scientists explain how bird can rotate its head without cutting off blood supply to brain




Lack of such adaptations could explain why humans are more vulnerable to neck injury

Medical illustrators and neurological imaging experts at Johns Hopkins have figured out how night-hunting owls can almost fully rotate their heads - by as much as 270 degrees in either direction - without damaging the delicate blood vessels in their necks and heads, and without cutting off blood supply to their brains.