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From: singer@biovx1.biology.ucla.edu (J. Lengyel Lab)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.folkore.science
Subject: Bumblebees can't fly, say physicists!
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 13:53:39 -0700

I was reading the a.f.u. FAQ, and came across this: F. Scientists once concluded that bumblebees couldn't fly.

I don't know about bumblebees, but I did attend a great talk last year about why Drosophila (fruit flies) theoretically can't fly. According to the models used to describe their flight, their energy output isn't high enough to generate flight. They built a virtual reality flight simulator and found that elasticity in the wing support structure creates rebound allowing them to fly more efficiently than predicted. See:

1. Alexander RM. Springs for wings [comment] [published erratum appears in Science 1995 May 5;268(5211):625]. Science, 1995 Apr 7, 268(5207):50-1.
2. Dickinson MH; Lighton JR.

   Muscle efficiency and elastic storage in the flight motor of Drosophila [see comments]. Science, 1995 Apr 7, 268(5207):87-90.

Note: I don't read this group so 1) I apologize if this has been gone over before and 2) e-mail if you have comments.

Jon Singer
singer@biovx1.biology.ucla.edu