Bob Yirka is a writer for Phys.org.
A trio of researchers, two with Cornell University, and the other with Howard Hughes Medical Institute, have discovered the means by which dragonflies are able to right themselves quickly from an upside-down orientation. Z. Jane Wang, James Melfi, and Anthony Leonardo wrote a paper about their research into the flight mechanics of flying insects.
Dragonflies have a long, thin body and compound eyes. They can be seen around ponds and marshes. They are known for their flying agility, and it was this feature that got the researchers wondering about their ability to recover from a scenario that they are unlikely to find themselves in.
The work involved collecting samples. They began by grabbing and turning the specimen over. The researchers were unable to follow the action because the specimen recovered so quickly. Next, they painted the wings and bodies of some of them white and filmed them falling using a high-speed camera. In the video, they were only able to determine what the dragonflies were doing.
The researchers used the video to create a computerized 3D model of the dragonflies. They were able to see that the dragonflies were throwing their left and right wings at different angles, forcing their bodies to spin until they were once again right side up. They noted that some rolled to the left, while others rolled to the right, but the end result was the same.
The researchers wondered how the insects knew they were upside-down, and they covered the eyes of several of them, and dropped them on top of each other.
The Science X Network will be launched in 2022.
Citation: How dragonflies right themselves when dropped upside down (2022, May 13) retrieved 13 May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-05-dragonflies-upside.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
