Biologist Ken Dial has documented in extraordinary detail how birds are put together and the mechanics of how they take to the air. With support from NSF, Dial and his team at the University of Montana Flight Lab use x-rays and high speed video to better understand the mechanics of bird flight. Dial's more than 2,000 flight hours as a pilot in a wide range of aircraft adds another dimension to his research.
Credit: National Science Foundation
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This is an episode from Science Nation, NSF's online magazine that's all about science for the people.