2016 Virtual Pressroom
The Division exists for the advancement and diffusion of knowledge of the physics of fluids with special emphasis on the dynamical theories of the liquid, plastic and gaseous states of matter under all conditions of temperature and pressure.
69th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics
November 20 - 22, 2016
Portland, Oregon
The meeting brings together researchers from across the globe to address some of the most important questions in modern astronomy, engineering, alternative energy, biology, and medicine.
Press Releases
Understanding the Mechanics of Breastfeeding
November 21, 2016 - Breastfeeding is a topic that creates discussion and at times even controversy. However, some basic questions about its biology still remain. For instance, does successful infant feeding depend on the mechanics of the breast and, conversely, does breast health depend on breastfeeding? It has been virtually impossible to study these complex dynamics and the delicate interplay that makes breastfeeding possible, but a pair of researchers are working together to build a biomimetic breast that will allow scientists to study how the breast behaves during its primary function: infant feeding. View More »
Molasses Creates a Stick Situation
November 21, 2016 - Fluid dynamics met history for a team of researchers who studied the Boston Molasses Flood, a disaster that claimed 21 lives, injured 150 and flattened buildings in the Commercial Street area of Boston in 1919. View More »
Paddle or Rake to Improve Your Swimming Stroke?
November 21, 2016 - Note to elite swimmers: Are you looking for a competitive edge in the hydrodynamics of your front crawl? Start by considering your stroke. If you are paddling, swimming with fingers pressed together like a blade, try spreading your fingers apart and rake the water for greater efficiency. The rake position of spread fingers increases the drag of the hand and reduces the slip velocity between the hand and the water. This diminishes the power dissipated for propulsion and as a result, increases your swimming efficiency. View More »
Sparkling Firework Droplets
November 21, 2016 - In Japan, many adults hold fond childhood memories of fireworks as a symbol of the summer season. Senko-hanabi, which translates to “sparkling fireworks,” emit a small fireball with streaks of light akin to pine needle structures. View More »
Instrumented Drone Measurements Help Wind Farmers Site Turbines to Achieve Greater Efficiency
November 21, 2016 - Wind energy is a key part of the global energy future, expanding rapidly throughout the world in onshore and offshore settings. But to be sustainable, large scale, multimegawatt (multi-MW) wind farming’s economic efficiencies need to be maximized — and knowing where to place the turbines within the wind farm is a first step. View More »
Cat Tongues Are Even 'Handier' Than You Imagined
November 21, 2016 - Have you ever taken a good look at a cat’s tongue? If so, you may have noticed the tiny, sharp “spines” on its surface. Watching her cat lick a thick, microfiber blanket and immediately become stuck – tongue out – was all it took to inspire Alexis Noel, a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering, working in the Hu Biolocomotion Lab at Georgia Tech, to explore the odd “spines” she noticed while helping to disentangle her cat. View More »
Archimedes' Law of Buoyancy Turned Upside Down
November 21, 2016 - A team at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, exploring how air bubbles rise within a complex fluid, like those found while processing wet concrete, wondered if they could actually get them to sink instead by shaking the mixture in the right way. View More »
Investigating Blood Back Spatter
November 21, 2016 - The popularity of forensics and crime scene investigation fueled by a glut of television programs has familiarized many of us with the basics of forensic medicine. However, not much is, in fact, understood about blood back spatter. A team of researchers from the University of Illinois and Iowa State University is exploring the science behind blood back using fluid dynamics to develop a theoretical model for predicting and interpreting blood spatter from gunshot wounds, and it could significantly impact the field of forensic science. View More »