November 14, 2011 at 3:20 am
The dragonfly is one of natures most impressive flyers. Some can fly at speeds up to 35 mph, can decelerate from 35-0 mph in less than a second, and fly backwards. They are extremely agile and can make dramatic lateral movements in the blink of an eye. These amazing abilities come from dragonflies unique flying […]
November 14, 2011 at 1:46 am
Delta-winged aircraft have been around for several decades, and their use has revolutionized the aerospace industry. Yet apparently nature had already designed a delta-winged glider long before humans had lifted themselves off of the ground. Delta wing designs are named for their triangular shape, and roughly 225 million years ago nature had produced a small, bipedal, lizard-like glider with a similarly triangular shape.
November 14, 2011 at 12:17 am
Over the course of millions of years, birds have evolved a particularly unique skeletal system among the animal world. Naturally, much of the difference between mammalian and avian skeletal systems arises due to most birds’ capability of flight. Granted, flight is a highly advanced evolutionary adaptation; however, birds sacrifice a good deal to achieve it. […]
November 13, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Bats are interesting animals, in that they are the only mammals truly capable of sustained flight. Due to its poor eyesight bats have become such agile fliers that they have been able to adapt flying at night. Bats use echolocation to help them pinpoint their surroundings and allow for them to catch their prey. But what many […]
November 13, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Geckos exhibit an unusual phenomenon that inspires exciting possibilities in human engineering. While frogs, lizards, and most other organisms that have self-orienting responses while falling use aerodynamics, geckos use principle of conservation of angular momentum. Professor Robert Full’s lab at UC Berkeley has studied this behavior extensively. In the video from their study, notice how […]