If you believe that article you will believe anything! I was shocked that the author refers to Lagrangian reference systems without understanding or ever describing what he means (it's the most simple concept), blathers on about large scale high Reynolds Number Turbulence in Monterey Bay surface flow and ends with George Haller, who when I discussed this with him personally last year was doing experiments in low Reynolds Number flow in about the "creeping" range. That's viscous oil schmearing around beercan sized 2-D circular prisms at about 1 cm/sec.! Not exactly the otter-haunted kelp-infested shoreline of the Bay. Also, none of this has anything to do with drag of bluff bodies (automobiles) as George admitted to me, also that his stuff does not apply to turbulent flow, and that the last article on his work was also very deceptive.
Nothing wrong with the work of anyone he mentions, just with the "science" writer himself!
Gimme a break. Reporters don't have to know the arcana of turbulence, but should submit their stuff for review to someone who does!
Peter Lissaman, Da Vinci Ventures
Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for.
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