The strongest part of the wing is the nearest part to the plane. NASA discovered that if you put a little uptick, a little up up angle in your wing, right, boost the you can reduce the drag there by increasing fuel efficiency. Overall, they saved between 10 and 15% of all the fuel costs since that's been introduced.
What is the rocket equation? How do airplanes fly? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic Chuck Nice go through some things you thought you knew about how airplanes fly, x-rays, and how to fuel a rocket.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/things-you-thought-you-knew-up-up-and-away/
Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.