About This Quiz
The owl is surrounded by myth and mystery, some of it ominous, some of it symbolizing wisdom and prudence. Take this quiz to delve deeper into what makes this creature so fascinating.The ability of the owl to fly in virtual silence captivates people.
The goddess of wisdom, Athena preferred the wise owl as pet and offered it special protection.
The hoot of an owl, according to legend, announced the death of Julius Caesar.
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The owl is a symbol of luck and prosperity in Hindu culture.
It enables the owl to sneak up on its prey.
The design of theirs wings allows them to glide with less flapping.
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The unique design of the leading edges of their primary feathers reduces the noise caused by turbulence.
Since their eyes are fixed, the extra vertebrae allow the head of the owl to rotate 270 degrees, which can prove useful when hunting.
When flying, the serration splits the turbulence into smaller currents, while the edges of the feathers muffle the sound of air flowing over the wing.
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The belief is that while flying these feathers may shift sound energy to a higher frequency inaudible to prey.
They are made of soft fringes that reduce turbulence behind the wings.
These are to absorb any remaining noise resulting from flying.
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They are considering covering the landing gear with a velvety covering similar to the downy feathers on the owl's legs.
The idea is to create a retractable fringe similar to the owl's trailing feathers.
Many airports have strict noise restrictions. Reduced noise would mean more flights could take off, thereby increasing revenue.
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They study the design of owl's wings not only to reduce noise, but also to keep takeoff energy efficient.
It is located at NASA's Langley Research Center.
Frequencies above 2,000 hertz are absorbed to eliminate the sounds an owl's prey can hear.
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The owl appears in the Harry Potter movies and books.