Sticky spit keeps chameleons' prey from falling off their tongues when they snap it back into their mouths. Syrupy, sticky spit. To Damman's surprise, no one had studied this sticky spit before. But it's very effective: The spit is strong enough to hold prey that's as much as 30 percent of the chameleon's body weight. Plenty of research has been dedicated to the mechanics of chameleons' speedy tongues, but that left scientists with another quandary: How do chameleons keeps their meals on their tongues during the high-speed trip back to their mouths?

Source: Washington Post June 21, 2016 15:26 UTC