Goto

Collaborating Authors

 free fall


Baby chimpanzees like to free fall through trees

Popular Science

Chimp infants are three times more likely to take risks than adults. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Given the many similarities between humans and chimpanzees, one might assume that both species similarly engage in risky behavior within the same age range. However, according to a study recently published in the journal, it turns out that in chimps, it's the infants you have to watch out for. After studying videos of 119 wild chimpanzees, researchers found that chimpanzees' risky behavior peaks in their infancy, and then lessens as they get older.


Watch a parachute rescue a drone in free fall

Engadget

Drone operators dread the thought of their vehicle losing power mid-flight, and not just because of the expensive crash that's likely to follow -- it's that the drone might hit something or someone on its way down. ParaZero thinks it can set those pilots' minds at ease, however. It recently unveiled a reusable parachute system, SafeAir, that slows drones when they're in free fall. The concept isn't completely novel, but it promises extremely quick reactions that could avoid accidents. As you'll see in the clips below, the chute deploys within milliseconds and can rescue a craft even if it's at very low altitudes.