Re: how do squirrels manage to run across power lines without falling?

Renee,

This is a very good question. In order for electricity to flow through anything
(a wire or a squirrel) it has to have a conductor, and it has to have a place 
to go. The squirrel is a conductor, but not as good as the wire it is running
along, and the electricity can't get anywhere it's not already going by routing 
itself through the squirrel. So no electricity flows through the squirrel.

If, on the other hand, the squirrel were touching the wire and a tree at the 
same time, or touching two wires, it would get a nasty shock! This is because
the electricity wants to spread out and the tree, or the second wire, is a good 
place for the electricity to flow into.

In some places, electrical power lines are repaired while they are still 
on-line. The repair people ride helicopters; as long as they are not touching
the ground or a tree or a pole or another wire, they can't get shocked! 
There's nowhere for the electricity to go if it travels through them.

                                           Dan Berger
                                           MadSci Administrator