Gecko's 'Active' Tail Key to Preventing Falls and Aerial Maneuvers

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This photo of a flat-tailed house gecko skydiving in a wind tunnel was selected for the cover of the March 18 2008 issue of PNAS. Geckos use their fat-filled tail to right themselves in midair and maneuver to a secure perch. Credit: Robert FullUC Ber ...
This photo of a flat-tailed house gecko skydiving in a wind tunnel was selected for the cover of the March 18, 2008, issue of PNAS. Geckos use their fat-filled tail to right themselves in midair and maneuver to a secure perch. Credit: Robert Full/UC Berkeley, (c) PNAS/NAS 2008

How useful is an animal's tail? For the gecko, unlike most animals, it could be a matter of life or death, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.


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