Aerodynamics as a research area investigates the behavior of gases, primarily air, and the forces and flow phenomena arising when bodies move through them or when gas flows around stationary objects. It encompasses theoretical, computational, and experimental study of flow regimes (incompressible, compressible, transonic, supersonic, hypersonic), boundary layers, turbulence, flow separation, and aerodynamic forces and moments (lift, drag, pitching, rolling, yawing). The field develops and applies governing equations (e.g., Navier–Stokes, Euler), turbulence models, and numerical methods (CFD), as well as wind-tunnel and flight-testing techniques, to optimize performance, stability, control, and efficiency of vehicles and structures interacting with fluid flows.
When NASA's Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean April 10, completing a successful Artemis II mission milestone, a critical piece of the spacecraft's safe return traced back to research at Rice University.
Space Exploration
Apr 14, 2026
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Due to climate change, plants' pollination season has been growing longer and longer. As a result, people are exposed to allergens for extended periods each year, raising a major public health concern. Researchers from Embry‑Riddle ...
General Physics
Mar 10, 2026
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No two snowflakes may be the same, but models that fail to take these variations into consideration often fall short when calculating the way snow accumulates on roofs. In Physics of Fluids, researchers from Harbin Institute ...
General Physics
Mar 10, 2026
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In a new review, researchers from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEF) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences synthesized evidence and proposed a multi-objective optimization framework for designing farmland ...
Biotechnology
Feb 12, 2026
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17
In sending a car-sized rotorcraft to explore Saturn's moon Titan, NASA's Dragonfly mission will undertake an unprecedented voyage of scientific discovery. And the work to ensure this first-of-its-kind project can fulfill ...
Space Exploration
Jan 26, 2026
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31
If you're a soccer fan, you're familiar with this common sight: A penalty kick is in place, with a "wall" of defenders lined up in front of the goal, ready to leap to try to block the ball if it sails overhead.
General Physics
Dec 10, 2025
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47
An analysis of hoverfly flight shows that wing design, not faster flapping, enables the smallest species to generate enough lift to fly.
Plants & Animals
Sep 30, 2025
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19
Don't be disappointed if all the fluffy seeds of a dandelion don't fly away with a single blow. The gust of wind from your lungs may be strong, but the dandelion's natural desire to control how its seeds are dispersed is ...
One of the world's most popular sports, badminton is played by around 220 million people across the globe. As with other racket sports, a well-executed serve can establish a consequential advantage at the start of a rally.
General Physics
Aug 19, 2025
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68
Scientists at the University of Stuttgart's Institute of Aerodynamics and Gas Dynamics (IAG) have produced a novel dataset that will improve the development of turbulence models. With the help of the Hawk supercomputer at ...
Soft Matter
Jul 24, 2025
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