Owl Wings Could Hold the Key to Quieter Aircrafts and Submarines

If you’ve never heard the sound of an owl flying, you’re not alone. The birds’ wings are nearly noiseless in flight, and now, they’ve caught the attention of researchers

A research group is studying what makes owls’ flights so silent, and hopes to apply that “technology” to create quieter aircrafts, wind turbines and submarines.

Owl wings have three physical features that make them noiseless, the team explains. First, there’s a comb of stiff feathers along the front edge of the wing. Second, the wing’s back edge has a flexible fringe of soft feathers; stiff back edges on other birds’ wings lead to a lot of in-flight noise. And third, a downy material on the top of the wing acts like a soft carpet; when wind passes over the wing’s velvety top-side, noise is cancelled Read more…

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