SMRTR Science & EngineeringMay 4, 2026Interesting Engineering

Scientists identify vortex rings as key to dolphin speed using a supercomputer

SMRTR summary

Osaka University researchers used supercomputer simulations to finally crack a decades-old mystery called "Gray's Paradox," which wrongly suggested dolphins lacked the muscle power to swim so fast. The simulations revealed that dolphins generate massive vortex rings with their tails, and only these large-scale swirls produce real thrust. These findings could inspire faster, more efficient underwater robots.

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