Snakes have a way of crawling into people’s nightmares. This can be a fact that Indiana Jones would never dispute. What do the afraid do with flying snakes, then? The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency really wants to research these southeast Asian flying snakes, however. It’s Chrysopelea ornata, or the ornate flying snake. These flying snakes live in trees and have a propensity for major glide time. The potential is so enticing to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that they’re funding a Virginia Tech study of the flying snakes’ glide ability, writes the Washington Post.
Flying snakes break the fixed-wing mold
Scientist are baffled by the snakes ability to fly, they lack fixed wings or any body part that resembles wings; and most flying or gliding creatures have this body part to accomplish their flying. Snakes that appear to be slithering in midair are of the Chrysopelea genus. They have been observed using this ability to move as far as 800 feet in a single glide and from as high as 200 feet. "They become on long wing," is how Virginia Tech researcher John Socha describes this phenomenon.
Flying snakes can turn in the air
Scientists are still confused by one part of the Chrysopelea ornata's glide. After taking a flying leap then falling for a when to pick up speed before undulating, the flying snakes are actually able to turn in the air. DARPA is more interested in advanced military technology, and once this discovery had been found they took over sponsorship from the National Geographic Society. DARPA won't reveal much about what they’re doing further than that they have great interest within the, "physical dynamics of snake flight." Flying snakes venom can kill a small lizard, but won't hurt a human.
Where does this species come from
Scientists believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs – which were reptiles – so the concept of flying snakes might not be outlandish. In terms of human culture, flying snakes may have made an impact on the minds of ancient humanity. In Aztec mythology there had been a feathered snake deity Quetzalcoatl that had been part of the creation of human kind.
Citations
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112206308.html
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl
Chrysopelea ornata takes flight
youtube.com/watch?v=iwDAsJCB2Pg
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