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University of Queensland researchers discover the simple reason why birds don’t crash mid-flight

Ross and Russel
Article image for University of Queensland researchers discover the simple reason why birds don’t crash mid-flight

Researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered a secret pecking order and an evolutionary rule that prevent budgerigars from crashing mid-flight. 

And it’s simple. 

They always veer right – and stick to the pecking order to avoid crashing mid-air.

Professor Mandayam Srinivasan from the the Queensland Brain Institute said it was a convention they follow. 

‘They seem to go right, each bird veers to the right and furthermore to increase the separation even further it looks like they have a hierarchy, a pecking order in their system,’ he said.

The simple science got John Burns and Scorcher thinking. 

If two planes are heading towards each other, head on, and both turn right, will they hit each other? Scorcher says no, Burnso says yes. Is Burnso a dill? His diagram is on the right.

Click PLAY to hear more:

The simple science got Burnso and Scorcher thinking. 

If two planes are heading towards each other, head on, and both turn right, will they hit each other?

Scorcher says no, Burnso says yes…Oh dear.

Image

Ross and Russel
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