Plants and other non-motile organisms have developed some clever methods to disperse their seeds and spores for reproduction. Some plants use vortex rings for dispersal; others make their seeds aerodynamic. Keep reading
Month: September 2024
Hovering Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are incredible flyers, especially when it comes to hovering. To hover stationary and stable enough to feed, the hummingbird’s flapping pattern not only has to generate enough lift, or vertical Keep reading
Coffee-Making in Space
In this video, Kjell Lindgren demonstrates his technique for making coffee aboard the Space Station. Astronauts usually drink coffee reconstituted from powder, or, on special occasions, enjoy a beverage from Keep reading
Eulerian vs. Lagrangian
When I first studied fluid dynamics, one of the concepts I struggled with was that of Eulerian and Lagrangian reference frames. Essentially, these are just two different perspectives you can Keep reading
Martian Viscous Flow
These images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show what are called viscous flow features. They are the Martian equivalent of glacial flow. Such features are typically found in Mars’ mid-latitudes. Keep reading
Rotating Jet
This photo, one of the winners of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s (EPSRC) annual photography contest, shows a rotating viscoelastic jet. Rotating liquid jets are common to many Keep reading
Filter-Feeding Mantas
Large filter-feeders like the manta ray face the interesting challenge of obtaining enough small particulates like plankton to sustain an animal the size of a car. They do this through Keep reading
Wrinkling Fluids
What you see here is a viscous drop falling into a less viscous fluid. Shear forces between the drop and the surrounding fluid cause the drop to quickly deform into Keep reading
Singing Sand Dunes
Reports of singing sand dunes date at least as far back as 800 C.E. Strange as it sounds, about forty sites around the world have been associated with this phenomenon, Keep reading
Review: “Life in Moving Fluids”
If you liked the prairie dog post earlier this week and you’re interested in more examples of biological fluid dynamics, you may enjoy Steven Vogel’s “Life in Moving Fluids”. I’m Keep reading