# woodpeckers skull **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983 "2001-11-17T20:06:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_V.Boe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Paul\_V.Boe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_V.Boe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983/1 "2001-11-17T20:06:39Z")
Is it true that at some point the woodpeckers skull was studied in the development of the football helmut? Where can this info be found? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983/2 "2001-11-17T20:10:38Z")
Welcome to the SDMB. Your question probably has a better chance of getting answered if you post it in General Questions, which is designed for that sort of thing, as opposed to About This Message Board, which is for questions about this message board. Email a moderator, and I bet one will move it for ya! Again, welcome QtM Idle bystander ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983/3 "2001-11-17T20:18:07Z")
I doubt it. A woodpecker’s skull is quite hollow. Like yours. 😃 (You have to get used to some kidding here, altho the Moderators frown upon it.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983/4 "2001-11-17T20:45:41Z")
Now, now, **barbi**. Don’t taunt the newbies. I still remember when I posted a thread in GQ which should have been in MPSIMS, or IMHO. Snide remarks, recriminations, locked threads, and it all led to tears. To this day I get anxious reading **Astro** ’s posts. Anyway, **Paul** here’s a little link talking about the very issue you brought up. [head protector](http://www.rdg.ac.uk/Biomim/98eke.htm) And a quote from another: > [@](#): > > I do remember an ornithology (i.e. birds) curator telling me of a curious researcher who visited her collections on one occasion. He wanted to see woodpecker skulls. And why? He was an industrial designer who was trying to make a better motorcycle helmet. He thought that, perhaps, he could learn how better to protect the head and brain case should an accident occur by studying the design of the woodpecker’s “helmet”, the bony structure protecting the brain, since woodpeckers strike their heads against trees with tremendous force, and do not damage themselves in the process. I don’t know what success he may or may not have had, but I applaud this innovative approach to his quest, an original use of biological material. from: [woodpecker helmet](http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:25jowWVlDrc:dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/dmla/newsletters/museum-cc/mus-let19.htm+woodpecker+helmet&hl=en) ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodpeckers-skull/93983/5 "2001-11-18T02:47:50Z")
Let’s move this to General Questions, 'cause generally it’s that kind of question. your humble TubaDiva Administrator Incoming!