It’s a regrettable reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting scientific stories we come across. So every month, we highlight a handful of the best stories that nearly slipped through the cracks. April’s list includes tracking Roman ship repairs, the discovery that mushrooms can detect human urine, crushing soda cans for science, and the physics of why dolphins can swim so fast.
Physics of Why Dolphins Swim So Fast
Dolphins are exceptional swimmers, but the exact mechanisms behind their speed and agility in water have remained unclear. Researchers from the University of Osaka in Japan conducted multiple supercomputer simulations to uncover how dolphins optimize their propulsion.
According to a study published in the journal Physical Review Fluids, the secret lies in the vortices—or eddies—produced by dolphin kicks. When dolphins flap their tails up and down, the motion pushes water backward, creating swirling currents of varying sizes.
The simulations allowed the team to analyze these vortices in detail. They found that the initial tail oscillations generate large vortex rings that produce thrust. These larger vortices then create numerous smaller ones, though the smaller vortices do not contribute to forward motion.
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