Random Thought

A biology professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Frank Fish discovered that bumps on humpback whale, called tubercles, enable a whale to make tight turns and capture prey with astonishing agility.

Fish'sexperiments revealed that significant drag occurs at a much steeper angle on the humpback fin than it does on a sleek flipper. Each tubercle redirects and channels air over the flipper, creating a sort of whirling vortex that actually improves lift.

Fish is now using this technology perfected by nature to produce fans with serrated blades that use 20 percent less electricity than traditional models. This finding contradicts conventional designs that strive for the smoothest possible edges.

The technology can be used in a huge range of machines such as turbines, compressors, pumps, and fans that use blades or rotors – most anything that cuts through air, water, steam or oil.