"Pit Viper's Nighttime Hunting Secrets Unveiled by Mathematical Model"
Yale physicists have developed a mathematical model to explain how pit vipers are able to hunt for prey in the dark by detecting tiny temperature changes with their infrared sensors. The model suggests that the snakes' ability to amplify small signals and transmit them to their brain with high fidelity, along with a feedback mechanism to maintain thermal sensitivity, allows them to locate prey in varying environments. The study may have broader applications for understanding sensory systems in other species.