Monthly Archives: December 2011

Lines Blurred: Archaeopteryx Knocked From Perch of “First Bird”

Since its discovery in Germany in 1861, Archaeopteryx has been heralded as the “missing link” between birds and dinosaurs: the first bird. This conclusion was drawn because of the fossil’s bird-like features such as its feathers, wishbone, and three-fingered hands. However, recently, as more fossils are found with these same bird-like structures, Archaeopteryx’s position of […]

The Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross is known for it’s ability to travel for many days over the open ocean. It can effortlessly glide for miles without flapping, and even drink salt water. The secret to their amazing flying abilities lies in their mastery of air currents. The wandering albatross uses both dynamic soaring and the principle of […]

The Science of Smoke Rings

Though smoking may not be the best thing to your health, smokers have come up rather creative ways to exhale their smoke. For decades, smokers have been forming smoke rings as crowd pleasers or for own personal entertainment. Smokers, though capable of blowing these captivating rings, may not know the reason these rings form. It […]

A Hive of Robotic Bees

In a previous post, Harvard’s work toward developing a tiny robotic fly was discussed.  The idea proved interesting enough: small, insect-sized flying robots roughly 1.5 centimeters in length.  With enough revision, these robotic flies may even prove useful for more than just breaking new ground in small flight, such as aiding in rescue or gathering […]

The Saker Falcon

The Saker Falcon is a very big falcon, one of the biggest with a wingspan of 105-129 cm and a length of 47-55cm. It is almost as large as the Gyrfalcon, and is a bird of prey which breeds from eastern Europe eastwards across Asia to Manchuria. There are several sub-species of Saker falcons; the steain […]