Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 2 hrs ago
Gannets have reinforced neck bones that help them survive high-speed dives
Gannets dive into the sea at about 70 miles per hour to catch fish, yet they do not usually break their necks.
Researchers at the University of Washington scanned 15 museum skeletons to look for clues in the birds’ bones.
The scans showed that gannets and boobies have short, thick, square-shaped neck bones compared with birds that do not plunge-dive at high speed.
They also have an extra joint surface near the top of the neck that limits movement and helps brace it against impact.
Earlier work had found that neck muscles lock the vertebrae in place before a dive; the new study examined how bone shape may add support.
The findings help explain how these seabirds withstand the force of high-speed dives.
The supplied information does not say what researchers plan to do next.
CT scans of 15 museum skeletons found that gannets have short, robust neck bones and an extra joint surface that helps brace their necks.
The adaptations may help the birds withstand the impact of diving into the sea at about 70 mph.
Researchers at the University of Washington compared neck vertebrae from plunge-diving birds and other species.
The extra joint surface was found on the second through sixth neck vertebrae of gannets and boobies.
- Who
- Researchers at the University of Washington, including lead author Megan Vandenberg and senior author Bart Boom, studied the birds.
- What
- The study found that gannets and boobies have reinforced neck vertebrae and an extra joint surface that may help them withstand diving impacts.
- When
- The article was published on October 13, 2026.
- Where
- The researchers examined skeletons from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture and scanned them at the University of Washington’s Karel F. Liem Bio Imaging Center.
- Why
- The researchers investigated how gannets survive the impacts of high-speed dives.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The team used micro-CT scans to examine 15 dried adult skeletons from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.
Earth.com published an article about the findings.
- Skeletons examined
- 15 dried adult museum skeletons
- Dive speed
- About 70 mph (110 km/h)
- Extra joint surface
- Found on the second through sixth neck vertebrae of gannets and boobies
- Study team
- University of Washington researchers led by Megan Vandenberg and senior author Bart Boom
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What people are saying
We see that the birds that plunge-dive have more robust vertebrae. They’re thicker, wider, and also shorter, shaped more like a square
We wanted to figure out what makes gannets so special, so good at diving and looking at their biology helped us understand how they can survive these impacts