Woodpecker skulls absorb shock so effectively that their design now inspires flight recorders and sports helmets.

Woodpeckers, such as the Acorn Woodpecker, can peck up to 20 times per second while sustaining decelerations of 1,200g—a force that would cause a human concussion at just 100g. Research published in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics reveals that the bird's brain remains protected through four key anatomical features: a hard yet elastic beak, a vibration-damping hyoid bone, spongy skull bone, and minimal cerebrospinal fluid space.The hyoid bone is particularly remarkable because it originates from the tongue and wraps completely around the skull, functioning as a biological safety belt that stabilizes the brain during impact. The woodpecker's brain is also oriented vertically, allowing impact forces to spread across a larger surface area. This design prevents the "sloshing" effect that typically causes traumatic brain injury in humans.In 2011, researchers at Mississippi State University and the University of California, Berkeley, began modeling these structures to enhance black box flight recorders. By mimicking the woodpecker's layered bone architecture, they developed protective casings capable of withstanding impacts 60 times stronger than current industry standards. These same principles are now being applied to football helmets to reduce chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in contact sports.