When Snakes Behave Like Waves (VIDEO) Georgia Institute of Technology This video is under embargo. Please login to access this video. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Caption Snakes slithering across the desert sand at night can encounter obstacles such as plants or twigs that alter the direction of their travel. While studying that motion to learn how limbless animals control their bodies in such environments, Georgia Tech researchers discovered that snakes colliding with an obstacle behave much like light waves encountering an optical diffraction grating. What they learned could improve the control systems of future snake-like robots. Credit Georgia Tech Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.