Flying lizards are truly gliders, but that doesn’t mean they’re unsophisticated. Newly reported observations of the species in the wild show that flying lizards don’t simply hold their forelimbs out a Keep reading
Tag: flight
Soaring Pelicans
Earlier this summer, I looked up on a bright, sunny day and saw a quartet of black and white figures soaring overhead. Initially, I thought it might be a formation Keep reading
Visualizing F-18 Flow
Flow visualization techniques are helpful outside of wind and water tunnels, too. The photo above comes from the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) program in which techniques like smoke and dye Keep reading
The Silence of Owls
Owls are nearly silent hunters, able to swoop down on their prey without the rush of air over their wings giving away their approach, thanks to several key features of Keep reading
Wind Tunneling Testing for BASE Jumpers
While we usually think of wind tunnel testing airplane models, the truth is that wind tunnels today test a much wider array of subjects. From oil rigs and skyscrapers to Keep reading
Dove in Flight
This spectacular high-speed video shows a dove in flight. Note how its wings flex through its stroke and the way the wings rotate over the course of the downstroke and Keep reading
Pterosaur Aerodynamics
The pterosaur was an enormous prehistoric reptile that flew with wings of living membrane stretched over a single long bone, unlike any of today’s flying creatures. New research using carbon Keep reading
Flying Snake Video
A follow-up on the flying snakes. This video shows researchers filming the actual snakes gliding and performing maneuvers. See also the Scientific American article on their work. #
Bell’s Powered Kite
Inventor Alexander Graham Bell is best known for the telephone but also made many contributions to early aeronautics. This man-carrying kite, the Cygnet III, was a powered kite with a Keep reading
The Silence of Owls
Owls are among the most silent hunters in nature, thanks to their feathers. The leading edge of the wing, shown in the bottom part of the photo, has a serrated Keep reading