For the Birds

You'd think that the natural world would inspire our knowledge about man-made materials. Not so in the case. The technology of swept-back wings on supersonic jets for safe landing has led biologists to investigate the swift, whose swept back wings produce a leading-edge vortex to create lift. For sharp corners, they spread their wings. More info at Science, but you've got to pay through the nose for a subscription, which is well worth it if you've got the money to burn.