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On Evolution Of Flight, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson
Jun 5 2011 9:26:02 am EST
Topics:Nature has developed many dynamic and efficient solutions to break its ties to the ground. The soaring Bald Eagle circles upwards in thermal updrafts, catching the wind in its long broad wings, gliding from updraft to updraft during migration. The Wandering Albatross repeatedly dives into the valleys of ocean waves, wheeling back up into the air, utilizing dynamic soaring to travel many thousands of miles using very little energy from flapping. Canadian Geese maintain continuous flapping flight in formation to reduce drag. The voracious hummingbird beats its wings anywhere from 8-100 times a second, depending on size, and generates thrust in both the upstroke and downstroke to maintain hovering flight. Not to mention the wonders of insect flight…
However, nature, as man, began with rudimentary evolutionary experiments. As we have refined human technology over hundreds of years, so has nature over hundreds of millions of years.
D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson summari
On Flight Dynamics: Influence on Living Systems
May 31 2011 1:33:00 pm EST
Topics:Regarding flight, D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson expresses the unique requirements to remain aloft, and the effect these requirements have on the structure of an organism. From On Growth and Form:
The bird’s case is of peculiar interest. In running, walking or swimming, we consider the speed which an animal can attain, and the increase of speed which increasing size permits of. But in flight there is a certain necessary speed—a speed (relative to the air) which the bird must attain in order to maintain itself aloft, and which must increase as its size increases. It is highly probable, as Lanchester remarks, that Lilienthal met his untimely death (in August 1896) not so much from any intrinsic fault in the design or construction of his machine, but simply because his engine fell somewhat short of the power required to give the speed necessary for its stability (41).
…a bird,
The Mechanics of Walking: Levers And Pendulum Swings
May 30 2011 11:51:43 am EST
Topics:Walking and running has evolved to generate as much thrust as possible while using the least amount of energy. The process of human walking recovers approximately sixty per cent of the energy used due to pendulum dynamics and ground reaction force. However, the legs are not simple straight poles that swing uniformly like the pendulum in a clock; a leg swings and thrusts at the hip, knee, ankle, and toes, utilizing a dizzying array of muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and other tissues.
Looking at a human gait cycle, it consist of 60% stance, 40% swing. In other words, the leg spends more time thrusting than it does swinging forward to the next step. Yet one foot has to always be in contact with the ground. In order to maximize thrust while minimizing swing time, the leg is extended while it is in contact with the ground, while the various levers are contract
Limits on the Size of an Aquatic Organism: Froude's Law
May 21 2011 1:43:20 pm EST
Topics:Unlike land animals, aquatic animals evolve under different constraints. The crushing weight of gravity is counterpoised by the buoyancy of the water. A neutrally buoyant organism is effected differently by increasing mass.
The available energy for an organism depends on its mass, or the cube of its linear dimensions, while the resistance to motion is opposed not by gravity, but by skin-friction against the water, which varies with the square of its linear dimensions.
However, the rate of supply of kinetic energy depends on the surface area of the lung. In other words, the rate of work tends to vary with the square of the linear dimensions.
Under these constraints, the muscles are able to exert a force proportional to the cube of the linear dimensions, while the supply of energy is proportional to the surface area of the lungs or the square of the linear dimensions.
Consider the following passage in On Growth and Form (30-33):
...As Galileo also saw,
I believe that over time, human technology and infrastructure will approach molecular scale engineering principles. For example, structural steel will be replaced by carbon nanotubes, perhaps assembled and woven by modified microorganisms or artificial life.
As we approach this direction, we will rely upon nature for guidance. Our current engineering practices are better suited for larger systems. However, nature has billions of years experience on the molecular level.
In my studies of natural systems, the core of my studies stem from one work, On Growth And Form by D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson.
First published in 1917, On Growth and Form has become a classic text on morphology. It was ahead of its time when first published, and may find new use as we delve into biomimetics over the coming years.
While writing My Travels with Eos, I relied upon On Growth and Form.
Print Edition Here!
Apr 5 2011 1:37:19 pm EST
Topics:Just received the first printing of my new novel, My Travels with Eos. While my title gets processed through Amazon, Ingram, and other distributors, I am offering a limited signed paperback edition for $9.99 here
My Travels with Eos, Published!
Jan 6 2011 4:30:04 pm EST
Topics:Just published my novel, “My Travels with Eos.” Download the first half for free at Smashwords
Synopsis:
What course of evolution would humans take during prolonged interstellar travel? Enter the Nyx. The nyx are a matured species that have traveled to the far reaches of space. In their explorations, they found Earth, and have sent a delegation to share the mysteries of their evolution.
One such nyx, named Eos Cerul, breaks nyx protocol and enters Earth without permission. She takes human form, and seeks to explore the unique beauty of Earth, and experience the quaint nuances of human nature. In the Adirondack State Park, NY, she encounters her first human, Alex Wesley.
Eos invites Alex to explore the mysteries of the nyx datastream, where physical consciousness is translated to waves of energy, and the universe can be explored at the speed of light. In return, Alex educates Eos on the finer workings of the human condition.
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