Claim: Woodpeckers don't get concussions while football players do because woodpeckers have evolved several adaptations that protect their brains from high impact forces that occur during pecking, while football helmets are not designed to prevent concussions.
Evidence: Woodpeckers have several adaptations that protect their brains, including a thick skull, a small brain cavity, and a specialized beak that absorbs shock. Additionally, woodpeckers have a hyoid bone that wraps around their skull, which acts as a shock absorber. In contrast, football helmets are designed to prevent skull fractures, but not concussions.
Reasoning: The adaptations in woodpeckers' skulls and beaks allow them to absorb and distribute the impact forces of their pecking, protecting their brains from injury. The hyoid bone in particular is able to compress and expand, reducing the force of the impact on the brain. Football helmets, on the other hand, are designed to prevent fractures by spreading out the force of the impact over a larger area. However, they are not effective in preventing concussions because they do not absorb or distribute the forces in the same way as woodpecker adaptations do. Therefore, while football helmets provide some protection, they are not enough to prevent concussions in players.