Science Nation: Fascinating Flight

Black and white photo of a bird with wings extended, perched on a branch. University of Montana Flight Laboratory. Caption: the mechanics of their wing and leg movements.

Biologist Ken Dial has documented in extraordinary detail how birds are put together and the mechanics of how they take to the air. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dial and his team at the University of Montana Flight Lab use x-rays and high speed video to better understand the mechanics of bird flight. Dial’s more than 2,000 flight hours as a pilot in a wide range of aircraft adds another dimension to his research. Perhaps, by mimicking what birds have learned over millions of years, aircraft wings could change shape to accommodate both slow and fast flight, or a helicopter propeller’s shape might be altered to be more efficient.

(Source: DCMP)

Metadata

Keywords:
aeronautics, birds

Files 1

  • Science Nation: Fascinating Flight

    Type:
    Video
    Format:
    Streaming
    Accommodations:
    English Audio Descriptions - Visual, English Captions - Auditory
    Languages:
    English
    License:
    OER
    Author:
    National Science Foundation
    Length:
    3 minutes