Kingfisher Beak and Bullet Train
In short: The Japanese Shinkansen bullet train utilizes the kingfisher's beak shape to reduce air resistance and eliminate sonic booms caused by tunnel exits.
A 1:30 short film in the series “Nature Invented It First”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Repeated evolution of drag reduction at the air–water interface in diving kingfishers”; Bangor University, “Researching the kingfisher’s iconic hydrodynamic design | News and Events”; Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, “Selected methods for applying biomimicry to high-speed train concept design”; Edinburgh Napier University, “Owl’s feathers, penguins and the kingfisher’s head: Inspiration for the bullet train.”; Georgia Institute of Technology, “Biomimicry in action – Magnifying Innovation in Industry”.
Sources used in this film
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Repeated evolution of drag reduction at the air–water interface in diving kingfishers · View →
- Bangor University — Researching the kingfisher’s iconic hydrodynamic design | News and Events · View →
- Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts — Selected methods for applying biomimicry to high-speed train concept design · View →
- Edinburgh Napier University — Owl’s feathers, penguins and the kingfisher’s head: Inspiration for the bullet train. · View →
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Biomimicry in action – Magnifying Innovation in Industry · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: National Institutes of Health (NIH): Repeated evolution of drag reduction at the air–water interface in diving kingfishers
- Also: Bangor University: Researching the kingfisher’s iconic hydrodynamic design | News and Events
- Also: Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts: Selected methods for applying biomimicry to high-speed train concept design
- Also: Edinburgh Napier University: Owl’s feathers, penguins and the kingfisher’s head: Inspiration for the bullet train.
- Also: Georgia Institute of Technology: Biomimicry in action – Magnifying Innovation in Industry
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