T me/Abdusalim Shavkatov page 1

B.
 
geneticists 
C.
 
physicists 
D.
 
A and B 
27.
Word "
learns
" in the 6th paragraph means: 
A.
 
determines 
B.
 
gains awarness 
C.
 
adapts 
D.
 
studies 
28.
What makes CRISPR better than even our adaptive immune system? 
A.
 
long history of existence 
B.
 
immortality 
C.
 
heritability 
D.
 
adaptiveness 
 
 
 
 
 

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t.me/Abdusalim_Shavkatov
 
 
page 15 
Part 5 
 
Penguins' anti-ice trick revealed 
“What we learn here is how penguins combine oil and nano-structures on the feathers to 
produce this effect to perfection,” explains Kavehpour. By analysing feathers from different 
penguin species, the researchers discovered Antarctic species the gentoo 
penguin (Pygoscelis papua) was more superhydrophobic compared with a species found in 
warmer climes – the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) – whose breeding sites 
include Argentinian desert. 
Gentoo penguins’ feathers contained tiny pores which trapped air, making the surface 
hydrophobic. And they were smothered with a special preening oil, produced by a gland 
near the base of the tail, with which the birds cover themselves. Together, these properties 
mean that in the wild, droplets of water on Antarctic penguins’ superhydrophobic feathers 
bead up on the surface like spheres – formations that, according to the team, could provide 
geometry that delays ice formation, since heat cannot easily flow out of the water if the 
droplet only has minimal contact with the surface of the feather. 
“The shape of the droplet on the surface dictates the delay in freezing,” explains 
Kavehpour. The water droplets roll off the penguin's feathers before they have time to 
freeze, the researchers propose. Penguins living in the Antarctic are highly evolved to cope 
with harsh conditions: their short outer feathers overlap to make a thick protective layer 
over fluffier feathers which keep them warm. Under their skin, a thick layer of fat keeps 
them insulated. The flightless birds spend a lot of time in the sea and are extremely agile 
and graceful swimmers, appearing much more awkward on land. 
Kavehpour was inspired to study Antarctic penguins’ feathers after watching the birds in a 
nature documentary: “I saw these birds moving in and out of water, splashing everywhere. 
Yet there is no single drop of frozen ice sticking to them,” he tells BBC Earth. His team now 
hopes its work could aid design of better man-made surfaces which minimise frost 
formation. 
“I would love to see biomimicking of these surfaces for important applications, for example, 
de-icing of aircrafts,” says Kavehpour. Currently, airlines spend a lot of time and money 
using chemical de-icers on aeroplanes, as ice can alter the vehicles’ aerodynamic properties 
and can even cause them to crash. 

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