Nature's Flyers: Birds, Insects, and the Biomechanics of Flight

Alexander, David E.

ISBN 10: 0801880599 / ISBN 13: 9780801880599

Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004

Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers G0801880599I2N00

Inhaltsangabe:

Selected by Choice Magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title for 2003

David E. Alexander's fascination with the many animals and plants that have harnessed the air is evident in Nature's Flyers: Birds, Insects, and the Biomechanics of Flight, a detailed account of our current scientific understanding of the primary aspects of flight in nature.

Instead of relying on elaborate mathematical equations, Alexander explains the physical basis of flight with sharp prose and clear diagrams. Drawing upon bats, birds, insects, pterosaurs, and even winged seeds, he details the basic operating principles of wings and then moves progressively through more complex modes of animal flight, including gliding, flapping, and maneuvering. In addition to summarizing the latest thinking about flight's energy costs, Alexander presents a holistic view of flight and its ramifications as he explores the ecology and evolution of flying animals, addressing behaviorally important topics such as migration and navigation. With somewhat surprising answers, the author then concludes his study by examining the extent to which natural flight has been inspiring or instructive for the architects of human flight—airplane designers and engineers.

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor: David E. Alexander is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Huntington University. He is the author of God, Goodness, and Evil (2012) and numerous popular and scholarly articles. Daniel M. Johnson is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Shawnee State University. He is the author of a number of articles in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of religion, and Asian philosophy.

Bibliografische Details

Titel: Nature's Flyers: Birds, Insects, and the ...
Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press
Erscheinungsdatum: 2004
Einband: Paperback
Zustand: As New
Zustand des Schutzumschlags: No Jacket