Great Spotted Woodpecker perched on moss

Noggin of steel

While woodpeckers' ability to slam their noses against a tree 20 times per second may not inspire envy, it's still pretty astonishing. Researchers are still working to understand how these little drummer birds endure repeated cranial shocks at a g-force of over 1,200 without so much as a headache. For context, a 100-g hit to the head is more than enough to give you a concussion. Scientists hope a better understanding of woodpeckers' resilient skulls will lead to better protective measures against human head trauma.