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Biomechanics is the scientific study of the mechanics of living structures, or of non-living structures such as silk or nacre that are produced by organisms.
Morphological trait evolution is partly driven by biomechanical function, but a general framework for this relationship is lacking. Here, the authors test two possible frameworks and find that mechanical sensitivity provides the best prediction of morphological evolution in bird wings
The apparent motion of a flier’s surroundings is shown to stabilize its flight by providing information about its orientation. Lapses in information are overcome through the effects of sensor noise and body oscillations.
