PYtHOn PUSH-UPS

Muse, Jul/Aug 2005

Talk about unfair. Burmese pythons get a workout just by eating. The snakes often go for weeks or months without a meal. But when they slither round a pig or other large prey, their bodies need to get in shape for the hard work of digestion. So to provide more pig-digesting power, their hearts and digestive systems quickly bulk up.

According to Science News, the python's heart can grow an astonishing 40 percent bigger in just two days. "Imagine yourself getting in great cardiac shape just by eating," said one of the scientists. Don't we just, we reply. But so far it hasn't worked.