Tag: vortex rings
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Seal Whiskers Detect Vortex Ring Size to Foil Fish Escapes
Sensing the Splash: whiskers as a directional sensor New research shows that harbour seals may read a fleeing fish’s evasive maneuvers not just by tracking wakes, but by sensing the size of spinning vortex rings generated by the fish’s jets. When a fish darts away, it can produce two jets in opposite directions, often creating…
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Seals’ whiskers may foil fish escapes by reading vortex rings
New findings: Seals’ whiskers detect vortex-ring cues in fish escapes In a surprising twist on the predator–prey chess game beneath the waves, a team from the University of Rostock has shown that harbour seals can pick out subtle differences in the size of vortex rings generated by escaping fish. Published in the Journal of Experimental…
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Seals Read Fish Escapes with Their Whiskers
How seals read a fish’s escape plan In the dim world beneath the waves, predators and prey play a high-stakes game of pursuit. Seals have long been admired for their ability to track fish by sensing the water’s flow—especially the wakes and spinning vortices that hint at a fish’s direction. A new study from the…