Across the ocean in a pedal-powered submarine - tech - 28 January 2009 - New ScientistCiamillo designed a carbon-fibre "tail" for divers, called the Lunocet. Modelled on Fish's CAT scans of dolphin flukes, the Lunocet has a hydrofoil profile, like an underwater wing. "As dolphins move their tails up and down, they create a forward-directed lift," says Fish. This lift becomes thrust, and lots of it: dolphins have been clocked at 54 kilometres per hour. They can turn 80 per cent of their energy into thrust, compared with a paltry 3 per cent or so for unaided human swimmers and about 10 per cent for people wearing ordinary swim fins.
(This article was saved in January, but lost in my cyberspace until now! I wonder how this project is coming along.)
'She can do it': Teen's sailing adventure - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)While 16 is somewhat young, it is certainly not too young to achieve this. How old were Hannibal and Alexander the Great when they were commanding armies and conquering the world? As long as she has the experience, which apparently she has, and her parents and other judge that she has the maturity of mind, there is no reason why she cannot succeed, and have a very inspirational time of her life.And that is probably the perfect size and type of yacht for her to go round in too.Best of luck Jessica.
Across the ocean in a pedal-powered submarine - tech - 28 January 2009 - New Scientist
