While on the subject of Biomimicry hows this concept learnt from bumps (tubercles) on the *leading edge* of Humpback pectoral fins, a totally different approach from the evolution of wing, sail and fins as we know it. Interesting insight and perhaps food for thought? Looks pretty lethal though.

http://www.whalepower.com/drupal/?q=node/1
or more directly to the point www.whalepower.com/drupal/?q=node/3





Quote below from one of many links on the study;
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7650744

"The humpback whale flipper had a cross-sectional design typical of manufactured aerodynamic foils for lift generation. The morphology and placement of leading edge tubercles suggest that they function as enhanced lift devices to control flow over the flipper and maintain lift at high angles of attack. The morphology of the humpback whale flipper suggests that it is adapted for high maneuverability associated with the whale's unique feeding behavior."

Fascinating stuff. My amateur conclusion are the bumps increases surface area.

Yup it's winter alright. Blowing S/SW maxed between 17-23knots for 2 hours and I'm working...and freakin' cold....SHUT THE DOOR you're letting in a draft
!

That guy uses "morphology" incorrectly. Morphology is the study of shapes.
He should have said "shape".

I was inspired by this, but it makes absolutely no noticeable difference for cumbersome windsurfing primates.. but on the evolutionary timescale of the humpback the smallest advantage will retained and refined.


any new human technology is always preceded by nature.. with more style

www.designlessacher.de/

Pronounced "tooberclay" with the pretentious accent on the 'e'. So I wasn't that busy today OK?!

Mrgob said...

Yeah, I'll believe nature knows best when I see an animal with wheels!

hehe The venerable Stephen J Gould pointed one out. It was a bacterium with a bit that revolved around another bit like a wheel on an axle. That's all I remember, sorry.

NotWal said...

Windxtasy said...

Morphology is more than just shape, it is the form and structure of an organ considered as a whole.

Do you mean taking the innards into consideration?
I've always thought about it as topology not infrastructure. I'll have to check :)

Having checked, I see what you mean. Its about more than topology but I still think that is an incorrect usage. I think he's talking about "shape".

Mrgob said...

Yeah, I'll believe nature knows best when I see an animal with wheels!

Wheel can't evolve because there's no small step to get an axis and a wheel from a normal bone

Mrgob said...

Yeah, I'll believe nature knows best when I see an animal with wheels!

Or a car with legs

Mrgob said...

Yeah, I'll believe nature knows best when I see an animal with wheels!

wheels are rubbish unless u spend billions of dollars on infrastructure.

A bicycle would have been awesome in australia 500 years ago?

ever since the wheel was invented, animals legs had to pull them around..

race a horse or a... velociraptor over rough terrain and the wheel looks pretty useless, especially in 50 years when all the fossil fuels run out and were towing all our wheels with animals legs again.

optical lenses, echolocation, electrolocation , hypodermic needles, solar power, electricity, there is even METAL in some wasp stings... flight, polar navigation, Celestial navigation... errr thermal regulated houses..

we cant even turn grass into milk yet..