How do snakes swallow animals so much bigger than they are? - Niko Zlotnik

In this video, we discussed some of the incredible array of adaptations that snakes use to kill, swallow, and digest their prey. To learn more, check out Dr. Andrew Durso’s blog, which covers the anatomy of snake skulls and snake fangs, among other snake biology topics. And if you’re confused about the difference between the terms venomous and poisonous, you can watch this TED-Ed video all about venoms and poisons.

Snakes also have specialized sensory abilities that help them actually find and catch their prey in the first place. For example, you may have seen snakes flicking their forked tongue in and out of their mouth. Snakes use their tongues to collect chemicals from the ground or the air and transfer them to a sensory organ above their mouth. Since their tongue is forked, they can even determine which chemicals came from the right vs the left, which helps them track down prey. To learn more about tongue flicking in snakes, you can read this explainer from The Conversation and watch this Deep Look video about snake tongues.

Another amazing sensory ability is found in pit vipers as well as certain boas and pythons. Pit vipers get their name from the infrared-sensing pit organs on their face. By sensing infrared radiation, these snakes can detect and attack prey with incredible accuracy, even in the dark. You can learn more about infrared sensation from this TED-Ed video about vipers, and watch a python hunting in the dark in this National Geographic video.