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Pacific parrotlet takes off
If a Pacific parrotlet needs to get to a branch beyond its jump range, it uses an energy-efficient wingbeat that isn't as taxing as full flight. Research by NSF-funded scientists Diana D. Chin and David Lentink, of Stanford University, found that bird-like dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx or Microraptor might have used similar proto-wingbeats to maneuver through branches. Parrotlets also select takeoff angles that conserve energy when jumping from branch-to-branch. That insight could help future researchers design robots with wings and legs that can conserve energy when traversing cluttered environments.
Credit: Diana Chin, Lentink Lab
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