Dickinson’s second talk focuses on power. Small insect wings must beat very rapidly – much more quickly than can be controlled by the release and uptake of Ca2+ that typically regulates muscle contraction. Instead flies use two sets of stretch activated power muscles. The contraction of downstroke muscles stretches and stimulates upstroke muscles, and vice versa, allowing the insect to beat its wings very quickly. In addition to power muscles, insects have tiny steering muscles that connect directly to the wing and regulate wing deviation during the wing stroke. With a combination of high speed video and electrical recording, Dickinson demonstrates how these tiny muscles can change wing position and allow a fly to undergo its amazing aerial acrobatics.
View the full talk with additional resources on our website
How Flies Fly
Have you ever wondered how a flying insect can so successfully evade your efforts to catch it? In these three videos, Dr. Michael Dickinson combines aerodynamics, muscle physiology and neuroscience to explain how flies fly. (Talk recorded in November 2019)
- Part 1: How Flies Fly: LiftAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:28:15 - Part 2: How Flies Fly: PowerAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:25:44 - Part 3: How Flies Fly: ControlAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:38:20