Seagulls are often mocked as a lowly bird and called "rats with wings". Movies like Finding Nemo portray the gull as an obnoxious eating machine. What the seagull lacks in manners, it makes up for in aerodynamics.
National Geographic News reports that NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia conducted wind tunnel tests using nature's sleekest designs as inspiration. Test wings were built using the fins and wings of sharks, whales, and birds as a template
Out of all the test wings, the seagull-style wing showed the greatest drag reduction.
Now does this mean we will be seeing seagull-shaped planes soaring overhead soon? Not yet. NASA is gearing up for more space exploration, not airplane construction. New strong and pliable construction materials will be needed as well.
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