"Genetic Adaptations: Kingfishers' Secret to Avoiding Diving Concussions"
Diving kingfishers have modified genes associated with diet and brain structure that protect them from brain injuries like concussions. These genes, including those related to tau proteins, help stabilize neuron structure. Scientists have previously studied other diving birds like gannets and woodpeckers to understand how they avoid injury. Researchers found that the second stage of the diving trajectory, when the head is fully immersed in water but the body is still in the air, produces a strong compressive force on the neck. Gannets have adapted with long necks and pointy beaks to reduce the force on their bodies during dives.