The miracle of flight

Praise for the hardcover edition: "The explanation of the physics of flight is one of the strengths of Dalton's text... Dalton's high-speed photographs of animals in flight, combined with color illustrations, beautifully illuminate the sometimes arcane discussions. Overall, this breathtakingly illustrated and well written book is superb." - Booklist Insects and birds account for three-quarters of all land creatures. For many of them, the ability to fly has allowed them to live in diverse habitats all over the globe. For humans, the mastery of flight is a supreme technical achievement that has revolutionized our world during the last century. The Miracle of Flight shows how animals evolved wings and how humans triumphed over the associated physical challenges of taking to the air. The magic of winged flight is passionately revealed in photography and color illustrations. The main sections cover: Insects and the mechanics of their flight Birds and their wing structure Man's centuries old dream of flight The development of flight from balloons to jets and rockets. Every section of The Miracle of Flight is illustrated by Dalton's stunning wildlife photographs and specially commissioned full color technical drawings.