Sunbirds suck nectar with supple tongues

Sunbirds (Nectariniidae) drink nectar from flowers by generating suction with their tongues — the first example of a vertebrate creating suction without changing the shape of its mouth. As they drink, the birds repeatedly press their tongue against the roof of their beak and then release it. This motion flattens and re-forms a v-shaped groove along the length of the tongue, which researchers believe creates suction that pulls nectar into the birds’ mouths.

Quantum simulations verified by experiments for the first time

For the first time, physicists have matched detailed quantum-computer simulations to experimental data gathered from work with solid materials. Two teams of physicists achieved the feat independently: one simulated the physical properties of a magnetic material, such as its heat capacity, and the other modelled a different material’s response to being excited into a range of energy states. Both agreed with experimental data.