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Designed to Swim

Denis Luyten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

on January 1, 2015

No matter how many hours you stare up at the clouds, you’ll never see a formation of penguins flying overhead. They use their wings for another purpose. Their uniquely designed feathers, bones, and muscles enable them to “fly” through the cold waters of the Southern Ocean.

Penguins

Macaroni Penguin, Galápagos Penguin and Gentoo Penguin

Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin: Did you know that they can grow as tall as 4 feet (1.2 m)?

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  • Waterproof Feathers

    The feathers on penguins are woven into a dense, overlapping coat that is unique among birds. (As many as two hundred feathers are packed into every square inch!) A warm layer of air between these overlapping feathers and the penguins’ skin helps insulate them from the cold water and wind.

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Underwater Flight

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Designed Not to Fly

This issue shares some of the amazing designs of flightless birds.

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