Science Today: Frog Tongues | California Academy of Sciences

Frog tongues are amazingly fast and sticky tools for hunting.

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Tongues may seem gross
but they're also important.

We humans need our tongues
to speak, and of course,

they help us taste and digest our food.

And frogs, they even use their tongues
to catch their food.

A group of scientists wondering
how frogs do this

tested the strength and stickiness
of horned frogs' tongues.

Why horned frogs?

Because in addition to insects,
they also catch and eat

rodents, crabs, birds, even
lizards and snakes.

Eeew!

The researchers discovered that sticky
mucous isn't the only factor

in successful tongue hunting.

High pressure and speed also matter.

In fact, the less mucous,
the stronger the adhesion.

And the tongue adhesive seems to stick
to any material —

feathers, shells, fur, you name it.

Frog tongues are also super strong.

They can capture up to one and a half
times their weight.

The researchers say frog tongues
may someday inspire

a stronger, stickier type of tape —

minus the gross sliminess, let's hope.