Tag

Sandgrouse

All articles tagged with #sandgrouse

science2 years ago•1 min saved

"Desert bird's feathers inspire efficient water bottle design"

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and MIT have studied the microstructure of the belly feathers of African sandgrouse, which can hold about 15% of their body weight in water and keep most of it safe during a roughly 40 mph flight home that takes about a half hour. The researchers believe that the findings could lead to new bio-inspired creations, including a more efficient water bottle design. The sandgrouse's specially adapted belly feathers hold water through a forest of barbules near the shaft, working together with the curled barbules near the tip, acting almost like caps.

via Interesting Engineering|

#bio-inspired-design #engineering #sandgrouse

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

Bird's Water-Holding Feathers Inspire Innovative Bottle Design

The intricate feathers of the Namaqua sandgrouse, an African bird, have inspired a team of American researchers to develop innovative products such as water bottles that hold water to prevent annoying sloshing around, and netting which can collect and retain water from fog. The feathers of the desert-dwelling sandgrouse can soak up water like a sponge and keep it stored even while the bird is flying 40 mph. The study authors hope the new discovery could lead to bio-inspired creations and influence future engineering designs that require controlled absorption, secure retention, and the easy release of liquids.

via Good News Network|

#african-bird #bio-inspired-creations #sandgrouse

science-and-technology2 years ago•4 min saved

Sandgrouse feathers inspire innovative water bottle design.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have studied the feathers of the desert-dwelling sandgrouse, which can hold up to 15% of their body weight in water while flying. Using high-resolution microscopes and 3D technology, they discovered the singular architecture of the feathers and how they can hold so much water. The team hopes their findings will inspire new bio-inspired creations, such as a water bottle that prevents swinging and sloshing, netting for collecting water from fog and dew in desert regions, and medical swabs that are easier to use.

via Phys.org|

#biomimicry #engineering #sandgrouse

science2 years ago•4 min saved

Sandgrouse feathers inspire innovative water-holding technology.

Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to uncover the unique structural details that enable sandgrouse feathers to absorb and retain water so efficiently that male birds can fly more than 20 kilometers from a distant watering hole back to the nest and still retain enough water in their feathers for the chicks to drink and sustain themselves in the searing deserts of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. The feathers have a helically coiled structure close to their base and then a straight extension, which can hold water through capillary action. The study may inspire others to take a closer look at diverse feather microstructures across bird species.

via MIT News|

#desert-adaptation #feathers #microscopy