Reading Miracle In the Andes has got me wondering about flight. Interestingly enough, I was watching Smarter Every Day, and they were destroying snack foods, as a promotion for high speed cameras. At one point, they shot the side of a doughnut, but the camera also caught a fly getting blown around by the blast from the bullet. Here is the video.
OK maybe not, as I can't figure out how the YouTube element works, but here is at least the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL5iTiJ8ZjI&list=PL71DC073CAFB0739C
Anyway. The explanation I got, was that the fly, when hit with the blast, either is stunned, or has realized that struggle will make it worse. That way, the fly only flaps its wings enough to maintain altitude, but not right itself, its motion as it spins will eventually right it, and it flys off from there.
Well, At least I thought this was interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL5iTiJ8ZjI&list=PL71DC073CAFB0739C
Anyway. The explanation I got, was that the fly, when hit with the blast, either is stunned, or has realized that struggle will make it worse. That way, the fly only flaps its wings enough to maintain altitude, but not right itself, its motion as it spins will eventually right it, and it flys off from there.
Well, At least I thought this was interesting.