Muse: The magazine of science, culture, and smart laughs for kids and children

NO FLIGHTS OF FANCY ANIMAL-INSPIRED INNOVATIONS FOR AIRPLANES

Photo Op

Airplane wings that flap. Or have saw-toothed edges. Or have surfaces that ripple. These features might seem out of reach for aircraft. Yet, many animals, like owls and dolphins, use such traits to move. (No, dolphins don’t fly. But both air and water are fluids, or substances that flow. So, physics-wise, sharks and swifts are similar.) From the beginning of aviation, animals influenced aircraft design. Even today, critters’ amazing traits

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