Phys.org

Reinforced vertebrae allow plunge-diving seabirds to survive high-speed impact

A northern gannet scans the sea for fish from 100 feet (30 meters) in the air. Upon seeing a school, it pitches its body into a nosedive, somehow breaking the surface at 70 miles per hour (113 kilometers per hour) without breaking its neck. This daring maneuver seems to defy the laws of nature, but it