How Whirlybird Seeds Catch Air (1 of 2) (IMAGE)

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

How Whirlybird Seeds Catch Air (1 of 2)

Caption

Maple seeds are attached in pairs to the branch of a maple tree. The seeds dry in the wind and sun up until they are dry enough to be pulled off the tree by a turbulent gust of wind. In the process of being pulled off the tree, the seed-pairs break apart and the individual seeds become airborne. This image accompanied the report "Leading-Edge Vortices Elevate Lift of Autorotating Plant Seeds," by D. Lentink et al. appearing in the June 12, 2009 issue of Science.

Credit

Photo courtesy of David Lentink

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