Tillandsia usneoides in epiphytic bromeliads takes up water through absorptive trichomes on the shoot surface under extreme environmental conditions. Although previous studies revealed way by which T. absorbs and prevents loss, its transport remains unclear. We characterized structures of trichome wings usneoides. Wing length-to-thickness ratio 136 interval (d)-to-wing length (l) (d/l) smaller ...

A new study reveals that bats use the inertia of their unusually heavy wings-rather than their aerodynamic properties-to help them perform acrobatic maneuvers like landing upside down to roost. Read the Research Article.

Dipterous insects (the true flies) have a sophisticated pair of equilibrium organs called halteres that evolved from hind wings. The halteres are sensitive to Coriolis forces that result from angular rotations of the body and mediate corrective reflexes during flight. Like the aerodynamically functional fore wings, the halteres beat during flight and are equipped with their own set of control m...

We have characterized the blistered (bs) locus phenotypically, genetically and developmentally using a set of new bs alleles. Mutant defects range from wings with ectopic veins and intervein blisters to completely ballooned wings where the distinction between vein and intervein is lost. Mosaic analyses show that severe bs alleles behave largely autonomously; homozygous patches having vein-like ...

To investigate the flow mechanism of feather-like rough airfoils based on swift wings, computational simulations were employed to explore their overall aerodynamic characteristics in comparison equivalent smooth airfoils. The study focused angles attack ranging from 0° 20° at low Reynolds numbers. results reveal that airfoil exhibits higher lift and lower drag compared moderate 6° 10°, resultin...

Airplanes and helicopters use high aspect ratio wings to reduce the power required to fly, but must operate at low angle of attack to prevent flow separation and stall. Animals capable of slow sustained flight, such as hummingbirds, have low aspect ratio wings and flap their wings at high angle of attack without stalling. Instead, they generate an attached vortex along the leading edge of the w...

1. The equilibrium gliding performance of a bird is described by the relationship between sinking speed (VB) and air speed (V). When V3 is plotted against V, the points fall in a 'performance area' because the wing span is changed during gliding. 2. The lowest V, for each V in the performance area defines a 'maximum performance curve'. This curve can be predicted by a mathematical model that ch...