After watching the above video, you may be astounded by the way the gecko lands on it feet much like a cat does. Many animals have self-correcting mechanisms for falls, but most work differently and it takes research to figure out the different ways for different species. Cats do it by twisting their body to create angular momentum and adjust accordingly. Researches have recently figured out that a gecko corrects its fall.
The common swift is a medium-sized bird that, superficially, appears to be somewhat similar to other birds such as House Martins or Barn Swallows. The swift, however, is much more remarkable. The common swift spends almost its entire life in the air, essentially never touching the ground once it learns to fly.
The Feathertail Glider, the smallest of all gliders, has a variety of names, including the Pygmy Gliding Possum, the Flying Phalanger, and the Flying Mouse. Ranging in size from 6.5cm-8cm, these tiny mammals can easily fit in your hand.
Humans have always looked at birds awed at the grace and ease with which the soar through the air. We strived to achieve the power of flight for thousands of years and only mastered the ability in the last century with the help of propellor and jet turbine powered flight. But what has puzzled scientists is how birds evolved the ability to fly. Recent fossil discoveries of a four winged creature called the Microraptor and experiments with model Microraptors have shed light on how birds developed the ability to fly.
Wallace's frog, The Abah River Flying Frog, The Parachute frog: a frog so unique yet with so many names. Regardless, this daring amphibian lives by swimming, jumping, hopping, and hunting insects the way all others frogs do and still took flight to add to its arsenal of skills! These creatures can be seen to have a knack for air travel right from birth as their eggs are attached to a plant that hangs directly over water, allowing their birth to create a free fall directly into the cool pool underneath them. This frog has learned a rare form of air travel that has yet to be seen in a bigger creature in its species and upon closer inspection, we can see the intriguing way in which it flies. From take off to landing, this is an animal that has found a way to adapt and evolve in a way that benefits it greatly and gives it an edge in the animal kingdom. Read More »
Neatly ordered scales provide an excellent sense of symmetry. Taken from: esask.uregina.ca
If anyone has ever seen (or squashed) a moth, they've probably noticed the powdery residue that comes off them. What many people don't understand is that that residue isn't a powder. They're scales...Yes, scales. The moth's family nomenclature is Lepidoptera, which means "scale wing". Why would moths have scales on the device that they primarily use to fly?
Many people, myself included, often wish they had a tail. Wouldn't it be cool to have an extra functional limb? Well, birds are one of the lucky animals that do have tails. However, they're often overlooked because humans are so fascinated by their wings. Humans can fully function without tails, but the opposite is actually true for birds. Without their tail feathers, flying would be a pretty difficult chore.
Sorry no, this blog post isn't about buffalo wings or barbecue ribs. It does involve flying though. But wait! Okay, maybe wings have to do with flying, that's for sure but what do ribs have to do with flight?
Some people are scared of lions, tigers, and bears (oh my). Not me. For me its lions, tigers… what the… FLYING SNAKES!?!?
Yes, “flying” snakes. They may not be as big as lions, tigers or bears, but at 2 to 4 feet the carnivorous buggers definitely catch a wondering soul in the forested regions of Sri Lanka off guard as they soar from tree to tree snatching small birds, lizards, and rodents up for a snack.
The five known species are located mostly in one region of the world, Southeast Asia, southern China, India, and Sri Lanka.
We've all had the pleasure of having a fly zoom all around our house, and waiting for it to land to hit it, just for it to take off and seemingly know your newspaper or swatter was coming. We often think that we were just too slow for the flies and then we try swatting at the fly only to miss again. Are we just too slow for flies or are flies just psychic?
The common swift is a medium-sized bird that, superficially, appears to be somewhat similar to other birds such as House Martins or Barn Swallows. The swift, however, is much more remarkable. The common swift spends almost its entire life in the air, essentially never touching the ground once it learns to fly.
We've all had the pleasure of having a fly zoom all around our house, and waiting for it to land to hit it, just for it to take off and seemingly know your newspaper or swatter was coming. We often think that we were just too slow for the flies and then we try swatting at the fly only to miss again. Are we just too slow for flies or are flies just psychic?