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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: How do fish defy the laws of physics?
« on: 23/10/2012 02:26:47 »
"Bumble bees fly without defying the laws of physics. We just didn't understand the laws of physics."
There is a myth that states scientists show that bumble bees can't fly. This isn't quite true. If you read the original paper it states bumble bees can't GLIDE. Not quite the same thing. The smaller an animal is, the harder it is for that animal to glide, that is, hold it's wings out and fly without adding thrust.
You can see this with birds. Large birds like eagles and buzzards usually glide. They user thermals as much as possible and flap their wings only when they have too. Small birds link finches never, if ever glide. There is a bird here in the PNW that never glides. He'll flap his wings a few times then fold them and coast a few seconds then flap again before he gets too low.
Bumble bees, being much smaller than even the smallest birds can't glide at all. But they have no trouble at all flying.
There is a myth that states scientists show that bumble bees can't fly. This isn't quite true. If you read the original paper it states bumble bees can't GLIDE. Not quite the same thing. The smaller an animal is, the harder it is for that animal to glide, that is, hold it's wings out and fly without adding thrust.
You can see this with birds. Large birds like eagles and buzzards usually glide. They user thermals as much as possible and flap their wings only when they have too. Small birds link finches never, if ever glide. There is a bird here in the PNW that never glides. He'll flap his wings a few times then fold them and coast a few seconds then flap again before he gets too low.
Bumble bees, being much smaller than even the smallest birds can't glide at all. But they have no trouble at all flying.