The speedy shortfin mako shark has a secret weapon to fight drag: bristling denticles that line its fins and tail. Denticles are tiny, anvil-shaped enamel scales on the mako’s skin. Keep reading
Tag: drag reduction
Gliding Birds Get Extra Lift From Their Tails
Gorgeous new research highlights some of the differences between fixed-wing flight and birds. Researchers trained a barn owl, tawny owl, and goshawk to glide through a cloud of helium-filled bubbles Keep reading
Feathered Fighter Jets
Peregrine falcons are built for speed. They’ve been clocked at more than 380 kilometers per hour when diving. This video from Deep Look examines some of the features that make these birds of Keep reading
Reshaping the Wake to Decrease Drag
When it comes to the aerodynamics of cars, there’s only so much streamlining one can do. In the end, most cars have a certain boxy-ness as a matter of practicality; Keep reading
The Flutter of Kelp
Many species of kelp change their blade shape depending on the current they experience. In fast-moving waters, the kelp grows flat blades, but when the water around them is slower, Keep reading
The Protection of the Peloton
It’s well-known by professional cyclists that sitting in the middle of the peloton requires little effort to overcome aerodynamic drag, but now, for the first time, there’s a scientific study Keep reading
Hydrofoils and Stability
Today’s fastest boats use hydrofoils to lift most of a boat’s hull out of the water. This greatly reduces the drag a boat experiences, but it can also make the Keep reading
The Hairyflower Wild Petunia
Dispersing seeds is a challenge when you’re stuck in one spot, but plants have evolved all sorts of mechanisms for it. Some rely on animals to carry their offspring away, Keep reading
PyeongChang 2018: Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing, also known as Nordic skiing, is a part of many longstanding disciplines in the Winter Games. Unlike downhill skiing, cross-country events typically involve mass starts, which allow athletes Keep reading
PyeongChang 2018: Speedskating
Four years ago in Sochi, Under Armour’s suits for the U.S. speedskating team took a lot of flak after the team failed to medal. The company defended the physics and Keep reading