Ever sit around and wonder about the small mysteries of the world? How do marine mammals hydrate? Why do turtle doves come in pairs? Why are coconuts hairy? I do. I think about this stuff all the time. Sometimes I feel insecure that I’m asking a stupid question, but of course, there are no stupid questions. So I’m going to share my findings with you about the weird stuff I find myself curious about.

So, Can snakes slither backwards?

Yes. They just seem to prefer not to because it expends a lot more energy. The scales on their belly allow them to use friction to catch the ground and propel themselves. These scales are oriented in a way that causes a lot of resistance when they attempt to slither backwards, making it difficult in a similar way as skateboarding backwards – not impossible but definitely not efficient.

(Sources: Nature Journal, Livescience)