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RE: My Microscope: Zebra Finch Feather
It's wild to think about how technology mimics nature and vice versa. The "zipper" formation probably adds to the functionality of the wing in some way, and thus is why the zipper is such a useful tool to close things. Very cool close-up look!
Yes! The zipper-like mechanisms you can see in the pic are how flight is even possible! It allows a feather to self-repair and resist actual damage. When you see birds preening themselves, they are often running their beaks down their feathers to "re-zip" the parts that have been damaged by wind or twigs. :)
That's so cool! You learn something new every day :)