Video
Archive
2013
January
February
March
April
May
2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2007
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Dec. 16, 2011
Taking Paper Airplanes To The Next Level
|
Leif Ristroph and colleagues at NYU are designing tiny paper aircraft and making them fly using a pot, a speaker and a bunch of straws. When the subwoofer plays a low-frequency tone, it pushes the air above it up and down, which is funneled through the pot and straws, creating a flow of pulsing air. The system simulates flapping flight by taking the flap out of the wing and putting it into the air. Ristroph explains what his aircraft are teaching him about stable flight.
filmers: francie diep, sam flatow, flora lichtman. produced by flora lichtman
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED BLOG POSTS
- Brilliant Blunders
Were the theories of illustrious minds such as Linus Pauling and Albert Einstein free of serious blunders? Absolutely not!
- What Lies Beneath
Using a scanning technology called terahertz imaging, scientist J. Bianca Jackson searches for hidden artwork behind paint and p...
- Alien Invaders, Baby Seal Brains, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- How to Get 6,000 People to Talk Science
Bill Nye and I were on a panel discussing how to tell stories about science.
Discussion