Science Friday: In Wind Tunnels, Ski Jumpers Become Flying Machines

One of the factors that automotive engineers must consider is wind drag. The less wind drag, the more efficient the car will be. They perform many tests in wind tunnels, then refine their designs and test again. Using simple materials,...

Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...

The 20th lesson in a 21-part series connects the wind data and expectations of a turbine to whether such devices should be built in your area. Scholars begin with estimating the wind potential at school by using long-term climate...

The U.S. produced enough wind energy in 2015 to power all of the homes in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and...

As part of a larger series, an informative video introduces the concept of perpetual motion machines and the science proving they don't work. The narrator then shares machines that appear to work and highlights the hidden sources of energy.

Heating and spinning of our planet are what generate wind. A very large tank is used to model the phenomenon of convection, which is explained by Bill, but never specifically mentioned. If you show this mini movie to your meteorology...

Hummingbirds consume their weight in nectar every day. The video explains their unusual flying abilities. From holding their bodies perfectly still while flapping their wings in mid air in order to get the nectar to shaking off water...

Have you noticed the little wing projections on the wings of jets? This Science Buddies project helps you understand whether these fins help stabilize airplanes. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an...

The winds of change are blowing in our very own solar system!  But what makes some heavenly bodies more affected by solar winds than others?  Pupils discover the concept of magnetic forces at work in space in this...

Ira Flatow talks with NASA commander Dan Burbank and flight engineer Don Pettit from the International Space Station. [20:49]