Water droplets cling to spine-covered plant life in this series from photographer Tom Leighton. The hairs are hydrophobic — notice how spherical the drops appear. Many plants make parts of Keep reading
Tag: biology
Filtering Like a Manta Ray
As manta rays swim, they’re constantly doing two important — but not necessarily compatible — things: getting oxygen to breathe and collecting plankton to eat. That requires some expert filtering Keep reading
Flying Without a Rudder
Aircraft typically use a vertical tail to keep the craft from rolling or yawing. Birds, on the other hand, maneuver their wings and tail feathers to counter unwanted motions. Researchers Keep reading
Measuring Mucus by Dragging Dead Fish
A fish‘s mucus layer is critical; it protects from pathogens, reduces drag in the water, and, in some cases, protects against predators. But little is known about how mucus could Keep reading
Simulating a Sneeze
Sneezing and coughing can spread pathogens both through large droplets and through tiny, airborne aerosols. Understanding how the nasal cavity shapes the aerosol cloud a sneeze produces is critical to Keep reading
Filtering by Sea Sponge
Gathering oil after a spill is fiendishly difficult. Deploying booms to corral and soak up oil at the water surface only catches a fraction of the spill. A recent study Keep reading
“Skimming the Waves”
Common terns are gregarious sea birds that cruise low over the water to fish. When they spot prey, they will dip down to grab a fish from the surface, or Keep reading
Anti-Icing Polar Bear Fur
Despite spending their lives in and around frigid water, snow, and ice, polar bears are rarely troubled by ice building up on their fur. This natural anti-icing property is one Keep reading
How Sunflowers Follow the Sun
Sunflower blossoms face east, presenting their blooms to the morning sun and the bees that come exploring with it. But before they grow their massive flower, each plant spends the Keep reading
Why Nature Loves Fractals
Trees, blood vessels, and rivers all follow branching patterns that make their pieces look very similar to their whole. We call this repeating, self-similar shape a fractal, and this Be Keep reading