Study finds correlation between elephant trunk wrinkles and brain stem bumps, with more wrinkles enhancing flexibility; African savannah elephants have fewer wrinkles than Asian elephants.

A study in Royal Society Open Science reveals a correlation between the wrinkles on elephants' trunks and bumps on their brain stems, indicating that more wrinkles enhance trunk flexibility. Conducted by neurobiologist Michael Brecht, the research found that African savannah elephants have fewer wrinkles than Asian elephants, possibly due to differing trunk usage. The findings may inspire the design of flexible robotic arms, though the study's limitations include not analyzing African forest elephants and relying on zoo animals.