Bee Blooms
Restoring bee habitats through education and creative design
The Drawing Board
Paper Helicopters: A Beautiful Science
The design of my seed pod has changed significantly since I have started my project. Last year, I was designing a seed pod based off of the maple and tipuana tipu seed pods. The entire pod was going to be made of a biodegradable material that is durable but light. Now, I have decided to make an extra concentrated seed paper, which will give me the ability to bend and shape my helicopters. I am keeping a nutrient pod at the bottom of my design to support the seed's growth. I am hoping that the contents of the pod will be enough to help the seeds grow in more infertile and barren habitats. Above are pictures that inspired my project, along with early designs.
Leonardo da Vinci was the first person to conceive the idea of a flying machine with spinning blades. The helicopter as we know know it was later invented by Igor Sikorsky in the late 1930's. The paper helicopter is inspired by actual helicopters, but it uses gravity and paper instead of machinery. When a paper helicopter is dropped, air pushes on each of the blades, making them slant upwards. The opposite forces acting on the blades causes the helicopter to spin as it falls. The size of the blades and the speed of the fall is an inverse relationship. For example, a helicopter with 4 inch blades falls more slowly than a helicopter with 2 inch blades.
Paper That Lives
Seed paper is a type of handmade paper that contains small plants seeds. It is made using the pulp of recycled paper squeezed between mesh. The seeds in the paper can germinate and grow once they are put in the ground. This type of paper not only recycles and produces no waste, it also grows new life and gives back to the Earth.