Convergently evolved linear actuators in ballistic tongues.

Yu Zeng, Christopher V Anderson, Stephen M Deban

September 2025 Curr Biol

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The discussions reflect a neutral tone, with mentions like 'some nice coverage' indicating appreciation but not passionate endorsement, and the use of hashtags like '#science' which suggest general interest rather than deep engagement. The tone remains professional and informational, focusing on tracking dissemination rather than debate or critique.

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Top Social Media Posts

Posts referencing the article

Biomimetic Fast-Launching Tongue Mechanisms for Medical and Rescue Use

Biomimetic Fast-Launching Tongue Mechanisms for Medical and Rescue Use

Chameleons and salamanders use a shared slingshotlike tongue mechanism to achieve rapid projection. This discovery is guiding the development of innovative tools for medicine, disaster response, and space exploration by mimicking biological efficiency.

Science X: Phys.org, Medical Xpress, Tech Xplore

September 9, 2025

944 views

Convergent Evolution of Linear Actuators in Ballistic Animal Tongues

Convergent Evolution of Linear Actuators in Ballistic Animal Tongues

Ever wonder how salamanders and chameleons launch their tongues with accelerations that are roughly 50x greater than a rocket launch? This video explains how these animals have independently evolved a sliding-based linear actuator mechanism, enabling rapid tongue projection across different species and sizes.

Dan Riskin

September 9, 2025

675 views

  • Christopher V. Anderson
    @CVAnderson_USD (Twitter)

    RT @AndersonLabUSD: Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: https://t.co/aji4TtBxmc
    view full post

    September 10, 2025

    1

  • Anderson Lab
    @AndersonLabUSD (Twitter)

    Some nice coverage on our new chameleon and salamander feeding paper: https://t.co/aji4TtBxmc
    view full post

    September 10, 2025

    1

    1

  • eno.kazuki
    @kazkemo (Twitter)


    view full post

    September 9, 2025

  • Cell Press
    @CellPressNews (Twitter)

    "Convergently evolved linear actuators in ballistic tongues." https://t.co/2dfFu4gfMU @USouthFlorida Yu Zeng, Stephen Deban @usd Christopher V. Anderson @CurrentBiology
    view full post

    September 1, 2025

  • Abstream
    @abstreamme (Twitter)

    Convergently evolved linear actuators in ballistic tongues #science #publication #research #publications https://t.co/yzVEE2taEf
    view full post

    August 30, 2025

Abstract Synopsis

  • Rapid animal movements hinge on efficient energy transfer to counteract inertia, particularly in vertebrates where dense tissues limit power output, making chameleons and lungless salamanders' ballistic performances stand out.
  • These species have independently developed a sliding-based linear actuator mechanism that allows their tongues to launch quickly through muscular squeezing of a skeletal rod, achieving remarkable acceleration and projection speeds across various body sizes.
  • This biomechanical solution facilitates rapid energy transfer while avoiding the usual limitations of vertebrate muscle, showcasing biomechanical modularity and offering innovative ideas for engineering efficient rapid actuators using a combination of materials.