Science Outlets Highlight Sloth Study

New Scientist, Phys.org, and other sites featured findings from NYITCOM anatomy researchers, which found that sloths have double the grip strength of humans and other primates. In the New Scientist article, D.O./Ph.D. student Melody Young and Postdoctoral Fellow Edwin Dickinson, Ph.D., discuss their study, which is the first to measure sloth grip strength. The team measured the grip strength of each foot on five brown-throated three-toed sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Measurements were collected using a self-built device that consisted of a broom handle connected to a wooden frame and a force-measuring plate. The team found that, with a single foot, sloths can muster a pound-for-pound grip force far greater than what humans and other primates can exert with their hands and feet. Strangely, they also found that sloths are consistently stronger on their left side. The research was completed in the laboratory of Assistant Professor of Anatomy Michael Grantosky, Ph.D., who is also listed as a study co-author.