5 ms·
Shouldn't this be impossible just from the perspective of physics? Do these birds lose 90% of their body weight during this flight?
by jononomo 4y ago
Shouldn't this be impossible just from the perspective of physics? Do these birds lose 90% of their body weight during this flight?
- moralestapia 4y agoAir currents provide most of the flight's energy.
- jononomo 4y agoApparently they flap their wings for the entire trip. Also: "Their internal organs undergo a “strategic restructuring” before departure. The gizzards, kidneys, livers and guts shrink to lighten the load for the trans-Pacific journey. Pectoral muscles grow before takeoff to support the constant flapping the trip requires."
- jononomo 4y ago"Other birds do stay aloft for long periods using a technique called “dynamic soaring,” while godwits power themselves by continuous flapping, which takes far more energy."
- moralestapia 4y agoOk but still, air currents provide most of the flight's energy. Otherwise, as OP correctly pointed out, the physics don't make sense.
- jononomo 4y agoYes, this should be impossible -- scientists have no idea how they do it: "Current models say the birds should conk out after three or four days, yet they fly for more than a week. “We can’t explain the physiology that allows them to do this,” Dr. Guglielmo said. “We know what the energy costs should be from wind tunnel experiments, but when we try to use our models, the energy costs we know they used are much lower.” The birds use half or less of the energy expected." “Are they going into a suspended animation state when they are doing these monster flights?” Dr. Guglielmo asked. “I don’t think they are in a normal physiological state when they are doing this,”
- frakt0x90 4y agoIt reminds of that study recently that found dead troutcan still "swim" in water currents. Perhaps these birds have similarly incredible geometry that allow them to fly without exerting energy https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2018/07/when-i-was-a-child-my-father-would-take-me-trout/?doing_wp_cron=1663883422.3260810375213623046875 https://fyfluiddynamics.com/2018/07/when-i-was-a-child-my-fa...
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- JTbane 4y agoThermals?
- Infernal 4y agoAt one point TFA seems to indicate they lose 50% of their weight, dropping from 2lbs to 1lbs.
- svnpenn 4y agoTrue, but the AFT says they actually gain weight.
- vlovich123 4y agoGain fat in preparation for the journey and use fat as the energy store. Presumably they shed everything they gain by the end.
- svnpenn 4y agowhoosh