Secrets Of Sharks' Success

New research suggests that one of the evolutionary secrets of the shark's success hides in one of its tiniest traits--flexible scales on the bodies of these peerless predators that make them better hunters by allowing them to change directions while moving at full speed.

The key to this ability lies in the fact that the scales control water flow separation across the creatures' bodies, says Amy Lang of the University of Alabama. Flow separation is an issue in systems like aircraft design, explains Lang, because it tends to cause vortices that impede speed and stability.