September 23, 2011 at 12:36 pm
The agamid genus Draco, also known as the Flying Lizard, is a gliding animal. Within Southeast Asia, there are many different species of Draco, but they all have the same physical adaptation of a patagium. A patagium is an extension of extra skin from the body that acts as a wing for gliding animals. What […]
September 22, 2011 at 11:57 pm
Superman cannot be explained. He soars faster than a speeding bullet- and without aid. Iron Man can be described as an engineer. He built a high-tech suit to rocket him sky high. Batman however, uses neither high-tech suits or the power of radiation to fly. Batman has mastered biomimetics. Biomimetics is the art of mimicking […]
September 22, 2011 at 7:02 pm
The Mayan Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus) is a small mammal, about 34-40 cm in length and 1-2kg, which inhabits the dense forests of Southeast Asia. Recently, it has been discovered that the Colugo is actually the closest living relative of primates, making it a hot topic in evolutionary biology. It is nocturnal and feeds on young […]
September 22, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Though they are called “flying squirrels”, they actually don’t fly but glide. There are 43 known species of flying squirrels in the world. For example, the Northern Flying Squirrel which has a total length from 23 to 35.6 cm weighs from 100 to 167 g at adulthood. Observations taken have shown that it can glide a distance up to 30.8 […]
September 22, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Certain species of the “flying” snake are able to glide as far as 330 feet in the air. What makes them so aerodynamic and gives them such controlled flight has been interesting to watch and inspiring to the area of biomimetics. One of the most important factors of the snake’s ability to glide is its […]