Reading Test 1

19 | 
P a g e
 
E. 
The most striking finding came after researchers injected dye into the owls' arteries, 
mimicking blood flow, and manually turned the animals' heads. They found that when 
they turned the heads, the blood vessels below the jaw bone expanded as more dye 
entered, creating pools of blood capable of maintaining the energy supply to the brain 
and eyes. They showed that the big carotid arteries, instead of being on the side of the 
neck as in humans, are carried close to the centre of rotation just in front of the spine. As 
a consequence, these arteries experience much less twisting and turning. The potential 
for damage is therefore greatly reduced. This contrasted starkly with human anatomical 
ability, where arteries generally tend to get smaller and smaller, and do
not balloon out as they branch out. This creates the risk of clotting after sudden neck 
movements such as whiplash.
F. 
Researchers say these contractile blood reservoirs act as a trade-off, allowing birds to 
pool blood to meet the energy needs of their large brains and eyes, while they rotate their 
heads. The supporting vascular network, with its many interconnections and adaptations, 
helps minimise any interruption in blood flow. The study results 
demonstrate what physical properties are needed to allow such extreme head 
movements, and explain why injuries sustained from treatments that involve manipulating 
bones with the hands such as chiropractic therapy can have such 
serious consequences for humans. Dr Gailloud added: 'Our new study results show 
precisely what morphological adaptations are needed to handle such head gyrations and 
why humans are so vulnerable to bone injury from chiropractic therapy. Extreme 
manipulations of the human head are really dangerous because we lack so many of 
the vessel-protecting features seen in owls.'
G.
Medical illustrator Fabian de Kok-Mercado said: 'In humans, the vertebral artery really 
hugs the brains and eyes, while they rotate their heads. The supporting vascular network, 
with its many interconnections and adaptations, helps minimise any interruption in blood 
flow. The study results demonstrate what physical properties are needed to allow such 
extreme head movements, and explain why injuries sustained from treatments that 
involve manipulating bones with the hands such as chiropractic therapy can have 
such serious consequences for humans. Dr Gailloud added: 'Our new study results show 
precisely what morphological adaptations are needed to handle such head gyrations 
and why humans are hollow cavities in the neck. But this is not the case in owls, whose 
structures are specially adapted to allow for greater arterial flexibility and movement.' It 
is a powerful adaptive trait, but it is not unique. Plenty of birds have a similar ability to look 
behind them. Red tailed hawks for example are almost as flexible as their nocturnal 
cousins. 'There are lots of advantages to being able to look over your shoulder and see 
something coming - if you're trying to avoid predators or detect prey', he added.