Tomorrow Today | Soft and silent

No other bird flies as quietly as an owl. Their wings have special characteristics that make this possible. As a result,they are able to approach prey so quietly that they go unnoticed. Another reason evolution has favored their stealth is that they use their keen ears to hunt. Noisy flapping would make them unable to use their outstanding hearing to find their meals.Scientists at RWTH Aachen University are trying to unlock the riddle of owl wings in order to make aircraft less noisy. It has long been known that owls are quiet flyers,but until now no one has found out why. The young researchers are using new technologies to investigate owl wings. The have analyzed three-dimensional models in their computer and designed a prototype for airplanes. They have also investigated the dynamic properties of owl wings in a wind tunnel and compared the vortices they created with those produced by their prototype.
One aim of the research project is to develop bionically designed airplane wings that would make planes quieter and safer. Computer cooling systems and air conditioning could be made quieter by the technology as well. ____________________________________________________________________

The barn owl Lulu is the star of the air show. She flies more quietly than any other bird. Over millions of years,these owls have evolved into superior airborne predators.

The biologist Thomas Bachmann is observing owls to find out why they can fly so quietly. He'll use that information to develop soundless airplane wings. Owls hunt at night,using their keen sight and hearing to find their next meal. They also reduce the movement of their wings in order not to scare their prey away.
Thomas Bachmann

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Science & Technology

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