Maple samaras represent just one way that seeds use the wind to disperse farther. A dandelion’s parachute-like float relies on the seed’s light weight and high drag .

Whether you know them as samara seeds, maple seeds, or helicopter seeds, most of us know the seeds that spin down to the ground on one or two blades. They have been served as the inspiration for ...

When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air – ...

Maple seeds, or samaras, maintain their spinning motion even in rain, allowing them to travel far. High-speed raindrops briefly interrupt their spin, but the seeds quickly shed the water and ...

Andrew Dickerson, University of Tennessee (THE CONVERSATION) When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air – and can ...

When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air – and can even spin when it’s raining. Impacts by high-speed raindrops only ...