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Ancient Reptile Had Wings Like a Fighter Jet

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the mother-nature-did-it-first dept.

anthemaniac writes "A reptile that lived 225 million years ago had triangular-shaped wings like the delta-wings of some jets. At least that's what a new computer model suggests. Researcher have generated several possible shapes for the wings of Sharovipteryx mirabili before, so this is just the latest guess (based on one fossil). Last fall NatGeo reported that the first biplane configuration was on a dinosaur. Maybe airplane designers should delve into the fossil record a little more."

6 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. Unlikely wing design. by BWJones · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would find that a true delta configuration would be unlikely as there would be little evolutionary advantage to developing an inherently less stable "wing" configuration for the low speed flying that this creature would be doing.

    The whole reason that flight engineers started adopting the delta wing configuration is that it allowed the shockwave for supersonic flight to be better controlled flight by moving the leading edge of the wing back behind the terminus. This is great for high speed flight, but miserable for low speed flight as it requires very high stall speeds that would be ....... unlikely in this creature.

    Furthermore, if one looks at just about any flying creature now or in the past, the leading edge of their "wing" has always been protected by bone, feather or both. To have an unprotected membrane as the leading edge of the "wing" that could be easily damaged would be devastating to the aerodynamic properties and the overall fitness of the organism. From these reasons, I would be much more likely to believe the first alternative reconstruction of Sharovipteryx mirabilis where the membranes could be protected and even gathered up when not in use, a function that would not be possible with standard articulation of the bones as presented in the figures of Dykes representation.

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    1. Re:Unlikely wing design. by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ever considered the possibility that looking cool would be an evolutinary advantage?

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  2. Science-Creationism parser by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    A reptile that lived 225 million years ago had triangular-shaped wings

    You mean "6,000 years ago an all-powerful sky-wizard designed a miraculous flying beast and a mate for travel on Noah's Ark."

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  3. CAD by berenixium · · Score: 5, Funny

    "What do the latest simulations look like?"
    "The computer suggests that the bird had 'fighter plane'-like wings..."
    "Let me see that hardcopy!"
    "...WTF? A concorde-type nose? Who the **** has been messing with my simulation-apps again? ****ing undergrads!"

  4. What NOT to do by Odin_Tiger · · Score: 5, Funny
    Maybe airplane designers should delve into the fossil record a little more.
    The first and only known rear-limb delta-wing-glider type creature. Oh, and it's extinct. Maybe the rear-oriented delta-wing airplane design isn't such a great idea after all? >:P
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  5. that's just as good of a guess by MrFebtober · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ever considered the possibility that looking cool would be an evolutinary advantage?

    Sexual display often drives evolution. The brighter the feathers, the bigger the tusks, the stinkier the stink gland, it can all lead to natural selection. If that's what you meant by "cool," then you may have something there. In this case, it could be that the bigger the rear-leg skin flaps, the more attractive to the female. Lots of birds have huge feathers that are only for display. In some cases they make flight impossible, but display takes priority. Any reason why that couldn't be what's going on here?

    crap, I just contradicted my other post.