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The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateThe <a href="http://titanoboa.ca/">Titanoboa</a> is heading to a neighborhood near you to scare climate change deniers right out of their shorts. At least that's what the artist's collective <a href="http://www.eatart.org/">eatART</a> has planned for their 50-foot long mechanical snake. Titanoboa is a replica of a 50-foot long snake that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanoboa">once slithered across the Earth</a> but is now extinct due to a change in the climate about 60 million years ago. The <a href="http://www.eatart.org/">eatART collective</a> and the Titaoboa's re-creators are hoping that this new mechanical version of the snake will spread awareness while slithering across the ground, just like a real snake, but powered by a lithium polymer battery system. Video of the snake chasing a giant spider after the jump!1
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimate60 million years ago the Earth's climate was much warmer than it is now -- then due to natural climate change -- which <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanoboa">allowed cold-blodded snakes like the Titanoboa</A> to grow to mammoth proportions.2
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateThe group of artists and engineers at eatART want to warn the human race that the side effects to our uncontrollable use of fossil fuels and the impending climate change are not a pretty sight. For one, we could start encountering another race of giant snakes.3
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateIn addition to the collective's hope that the snake inspires fear in the hearts of man, they're also using this project to explore alternative modes of propulsion. The collective has put out some other nifty <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=alternative+transportation">alternative transportation</a> projects like <a href="http://www.mondospider.com/">a giant battery-powered spider</a> and are soon to start working on an <a href="http://www.anti-robot.com/">anti-robot robot</a>.4
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateThe Titanoboa is an exercise in biomimicry and moves just like a real snake.5
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateThe collective says that they've been contacted by the Defense Department about possibly using their technology but turned them down -- they'd rather make art than war.6
The Titanoboa Is a 50 Foot-Long Mechanical Snake That Will Scare the Pants off CLimateThe snake's not done yet, he'll soon get a scaly exterior probably made from recycled HDPE and with that his transformation will be complete. From extinct species to a sustainably modern technical model, this giant has had quite the journey.7
