How do insects fly?

1997/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Zoologia

Insects seem to break the laws of aerodynamics. If we accept the physical principles governing any aircraft in flight, insects could not fly. The force exerted by their wings in theory is not enough to leave the earth and take off, but nevertheless they fly.

In Britain Cambridge zoologists have been able to know why they stay in the air. British researchers have analyzed the turbulence that occurs around the wings of insects to know where they get the sufficient ascending force. First in the air stream have had butterflies called sphinxes. Through the smoke the air flowed around the wings of the butterflies, but with this system the finer aerodynamic mechanisms of their flight could not be seen.

The researchers, therefore, have prepared a mechanical model, a robot ten times longer and wider than the butterfly, but which shakes the wings less frequently. Thus they have been able to verify that around the front edge of the wings occur small swirls. These swirls go more and more towards the south end and stabilize. These swirls give the insect the ascending force needed to fly.