Question. When I got into a cage with a Komodo Dragon almost 10 years ago for a story, I had no idea that its skull was so special. Neither did scientists until now. But a report in the Journal of Anatomy reveals that the world’s largest living lizard has a remarkable, spaceframe skull. Space frame refers to a light, rigid structure with amassing struts that can handle big loads. The shape of the skull bones and the arrangement of bones of disinterment bits is the key. The researchers employed a technique called Finite Element Analysis, which is usually used to analyze trains or planes. But in this case it lets them reverse engineer the Komodo to study the astrological forces that the skull is subject to. As opposed to, say, an alligator, the dragon has a pretty wimpy bite. So rather than clamp down on its victims, it yanks off chunks of meat, a move powered by incredibly strong neck muscles. And made carnival by that space-frame skull able to handle the huge forces involved.
