Fly Flight Is More Sophisticated Than Imagined

A new study by Dr. Michael Dickinson at Caltech uses AI and robotics to reveal the intricate details of the flexible yet strong hinge that allows insects to fly. The study, published in Nature, shows that insect wings are wholly original appendages and not modified limbs like those of birds, bats, and pterosaurs. The team used imaging and machine learning to understand the functional interactions of the hinge’s many parts, a difficult task for such small and agile creatures.