Physics of the Seam Shifted Wake Changeup Baseball Pitch That Baffles Hitters
Asymmetrical wake from ball’s path influences trajectory, speed, but tough to control. While changing the rotation rate/axis of a thrown baseball has long been a…
Fluid Dynamics News
Better-Tasting Desserts: Complex Fluid Dynamics Update Century-Old Food Testing Method
To make better-tasting desserts, this ultrasonic spinning rheometry method includes velocity profiling of complex liquids in food products in order to more accurately capture dynamics…
Galileo’s Jupiter Entry Probe Vaporized – New Gaps Revealed in Heat Shield Modeling
Data from the probe’s 1995 fireball has continued to confound those studying the mission. New simulations and faster computers point to bettering atmospheric entry vehicles….
New Wind Turbines With Multiple Rotors Show Clear Advantages in Computer Models
Researchers have modeled the fluid dynamics of multi-rotor wind turbines, and how they interact in wind farms; the research demonstrates a clear advantage for a…
Researchers Use Wind-Tunnel Experiments to Uncover the Secret to Sneaky Float Serves
University of Tsukuba researchers use wind-tunnel experiments to study the effect the panels of a volleyball have on its flight, the asymmetric aerodynamics of which…
Engineers Produce Iridescent Colors With Clear Water Droplets
Engineers at MIT and Penn State University have found that under the right conditions, ordinary clear water droplets on a transparent surface can produce brilliant…
MIT Engineers Reveal the Intricacies of a Splashing Droplet
As a single raindrop falls to the ground, it can splash back up in a crown-like sheet, spraying smaller droplets from its rim before sinking…
New Dynamo Experiment to Demonstrate Magnetism in the Universe
Flows of molten metal can generate magnetic fields. This so-called dynamo effect creates cosmic magnetic fields, like those found on planets, moons and even asteroids….
MIT Engineers Show How Hairy Tongues Help Bats Drink
Animals have evolved all manner of adaptations to get the nutrients they need. For nectar-feeding bats, long snouts and tongues let them dip in and…
New MIT Study Details How Droplets Can “Levitate” on Liquid Surfaces
A drop or two of cold cream in hot coffee can go a long way toward improving one’s morning. But what if the two liquids…
Researchers Reveal a New Way to Enhance or Reduce the Adhesion of Freezing Droplets
Researchers from MIT have discovered a surprising new twist to the mechanics involved when droplets come in contact with surfaces, allowing them to enhance or…
NASA Issues a Challenge – High Performance Fast Computing Challenge
Improve the speed of computational fluid dynamics algorithms in NASA’s FUN3D software. A prize purse of up to $55,000 in overall cash prizes is available….
Engineers Design Microfluidic Device That Generates Passive Hydraulic Power
Engineers have designed a microfluidic device that mimics the pumping mechanism of trees and plants, generating passive hydraulic power that may be used to make…
Cassini Views Saturn’s Dynamic Atmosphere
Astronomers are using Saturn’s clouds to study fluid dynamics, which seeks to understand the motion of gases and liquids. Saturn’s lack of a solid planetary…
New Beaver-Inspired Wetsuits May Help Keep Surfers Warm
Inspired by semiaquatic mammals such as beavers and sea otters, MIT engineers are fabricating fur-like rubbery hair-lined wetsuits that may help keep surfers warm. Beavers…
High-Speed Images Reveal How Raindrops Spread Pathogens Among Plants
A new theoretical model describes the relationship between a leaf’s flexibility, the fragmentation of the fluid, and its resulting pattern of raindrop-induced dispersal. Using high-speed…
Researchers Take a Series of First-Time Measurements of Turbulent Mixing
Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory took a series of first-time measurements of turbulent mixing, providing new insights for turbulence modelers. In research featured…
Ocean Eddies Are Mathematically Equivalent to Black Holes
According to newly published research, some of the largest ocean eddies on Earth are mathematically equivalent to the mysterious black holes of space. These eddies…
