My research deals with the dynamics of animal flight, but reflects a broader interest in the dynamics of biological systems in general. I an a University Lecturer in the Department of Zoology, and am Peter Brunet Fellow and Tutor in Biological and Human Sciences at Jesus College. I previously held an RCUK Academic Felowship (2006-2011), a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2004-2009), a Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowship (2002–2004), and the Weir Junior Research Fellowship (2002–2005) at University College, Oxford. My research team is now funded principally by a 5-year, €2M ERC Starting Grant on the Dynamics and Control of Bird and Insect Flight, as well as by grants from Dstl and EOARD.Peer-reviewed publications
Walker, S. M. & Thomas, A. L. R. & Taylor, G. K. (2011). Operation of the alula as an indicator of gear change in hoverflies, J. Roy. Soc. Interface. Published online before print November 9, 2011. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2011.0617
Carruthers, A. C., Thomas, A. L. R., Walker, S. M. & Taylor, G. K. (2010). Mechanics and aerodynamics of perching manoeuvres in a large bird of prey. Aero. J. 114, 673-680.
Carruthers, A. C., Walker, S. M., Thomas, A. L. R. & Taylor, G. K. (2010). Aerodynamics of aerofoil sections measured on a free-flying bird. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part G - J. Aerosp. Eng. 224, 855-864. doi:10.1243/09544100JAERO737
Taylor, G. K., Holbrook, R. J. and Burt de Perera, T. (2010). Fractional rate of change of swim-bladder volume is reliably related to absolute depth during vertical displacements in teleost fish J. Roy. Soc. Interface. 7, 1379-1382. Published online before print February 26, 2010, doi:10.1098/rsif.2009.0522
Walker, S. M. & Thomas, A. L. R. & Taylor, G. K. (2010). Deformable wing kinematics in free-flying hoverflies. J. Roy. Soc. Interface. 7, 131-142. Published online before print May 15, 2009. doi:10.1098/rsif.2009.0120
Young, J., Walker, S. M., Bomphrey, R. J., Taylor, G. K. & Thomas, A. L. R. (2009). Details of insect wing design and deformation enhance aerodynamic function and flight efficiency. Science. 325, 1549-1552. doi:10.1126/science.1175928
Bomphrey, R. J., Taylor, G. K., Thomas, A. L. R. (2009) Smoke visualization of free-flying bumblebees indicates independent leading-edge vortices on each wing pair. Exp. Fluids 46, 811-821. Published online before print April 2, 2009, doi:10.1007/s00348-009-0631-8
Walker, S. M. & Thomas, A. L. R., Taylor, G. K. (2009). Deformable wing kinematics in the desert locust: how and why do camber, twist and topography vary through the stroke?. J. Roy. Soc. Interface 6, 735-747. Published online before print December 16, 2008, doi:10.1098/rsif.2008.0435
Walker, S. M. & Thomas, A. L. R. & Taylor, G. K. (2009). Photogrammetric reconstruction of high-resolution surface topographies and deformable wing kinematics of tethered locusts and free-flying hoverflies. J. Roy. Soc. Interface 6, 351-366. Published online before print August 5, 2008, doi:10.1098/rsif.2008.0245
Taylor, G. K., Bacic, M., Bomphrey, R. J., Carruthers, A. C., Gillies, J., Walker, S. M. & Thomas, A. L. R. (2008). New experimental approaches to the biology of flight control systems. J. Exp. Biol. 211, 258-266. doi:10.1242/jeb.012625
Taylor, G. K. & Krapp, H. G. (2007). Sensory systems and flight stability: what do insects measure, and why? Adv. Insect Physiol., 34, 231-316. doi:10.1016/S0065-2806(07)34005-8
Carruthers, A. C., Thomas, A. L. R. & Taylor, G. K. (2007). Automatic aeroelastic devices in the wings of a Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis. J. Exp. Biol. 210, 4136-4149. doi:10.1242/jeb.011197
Bomphrey, R. J., Lawson, N. J., Taylor, G. K., & Thomas, A. L. R. (2006). Application of digital particle image velocimetry to insect aerodynamics: measurement of the leading-edge vortex and near wake of a hawkmoth, Exp. Fluids. 40, 546-554. doi:10.1007/s00348-005-0094-5
Taylor, G. K. & Zbikowski, R. (2005). Nonlinear time-periodic models of the longitudinal flight dynamics of desert locusts Schistocerca gregaria. J. Roy. Soc. Interface 2, 197-221. doi:10.1098/rsif.2005.0036
Bomphrey, R. J., Lawson, N. J., Taylor, G. K., & Thomas, A. L. R. (2006). Digital particle image velocimetry measurements of the downwash distribution of a desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. J. Roy. Soc. Interface 3, 311-317. doi:10.1098/rsif.2005.0090
Taylor, G. K. (2005). Flight muscles and flight dynamics: towards an integrative framework. Anim. Biol. 55, 81-99. doi:10.1163/1570756053276871
Bomphrey, R. J., Harding, N. J., Lawson, N. J., Taylor, G. K., & Thomas, A. L. R. (2005). The aerodynamics of Manduca sexta: digital particle image velocimetry of the leading-edge vortex, J. Exp. Biol., 208, 1079–1094. doi:10.1242/jeb.01471
Nudds, R. L., Taylor, G. K. and Thomas, A. L. R. (2004). Tuning of Strouhal number for high propulsive efficiency predicts how wingbeat frequency and stroke amplitude relate and scale with size and flight speed in birds, Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B, 271, 2071–2076. doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2838
Thomas, A. L. R., Taylor, G. K., Srygley, R. B., Nudds, R. L. & Bomphrey, R. J. (2004). Dragonfly flight: free-flight and tethered flow visualizations reveal a diverse array of unsteady lift-generating mechanisms, controlled primarily via angle of attack. J. Exp. Biol. 207, 4299-4323. doi:10.1242/jeb.01262
Taylor, G. K., Nudds, R. L., & Thomas, A. L. R. (2003). Flying and swimming animals cruise at a Strouhal number tuned for high power efficiency. Nature 425, 707-711. doi:10.1038/nature02000
Taylor, G. K. & Thomas, A. L. R. (2003). Dynamic flight stability in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. J. Exp. Biol. 206, 2803-2829. doi:10.1242/jeb.0050
Taylor, G. K. and Thomas, A. L. R. (2002). Animal flight dynamics II. Longitudinal stability in flapping flight, J. theor. Biol., 214, 351–370. doi:10.1006/jtbi.2001.2470
Taylor, G. K. (2001). Mechanics and aerodynamics of insect flight control. Biol. Rev. 76, 449-471. doi:10.1017/S1464793101005759
Thomas, A. L. R. and Taylor, G. K. (2001). Animal flight dynamics I. Stability in gliding flight, J. theor. Biol., 212, 399–324. doi:10.1006/jtbi.2001.2387
Garner, J. P., Taylor, G. K. and Thomas, A. L. R. (1999). On the origins of birds: the sequence of character acquisition in the evolution of avian flight, Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B, 266,1259–1266. doi:10.1098/rspb.1999.0772
Book Chapters
Taylor, G. K. (in press). Insect flight control. In: R. Blockley, W. Shyy, eds. Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. Wiley, Chichester.
Taylor, G. K. (2007). Modelling the effects of unsteady flow phenomena on flapping flight dynamics— stability & control. In: R. Liebe, ed., Flow phenomena in Nature: a challenge to engineering design, Vol. 1, pp 155-166, WIT Press, Southampton.
Edited Volumes
Taylor, G. K., Triantafyllou, M. S., Tropea, C. (2010) Animal Locomotion: The Physics of Flying; The Hydrodynamics of Swimming. Springer, Berlin. ISBN: 978-3-642-11632-2.
Taylor, G. K., Triantafyllou, M. S., Tropea, C. (2009) Animal Locomotion: The Physics of Flying. Vol. 46(5) of Experiments in Fluids.
Chaired Conferences
US-Europe Workshop on BioSensing and BioActuation: Interface of Living and Engineered Systems, 15-17 June, Taormina, Sicily. R. A. Shoureshi & G. K. Taylor, co-chairs.
Public Understanding of Science (abridged)
- 2010 BBC 1, The One Show. News interview on bird flight research.
- 2009 National Geographic Channel and BBC, Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections. Documentary interview on bird flight research.
- 2008 ARD German Television, [W] wie Wissen. Documentary interview on flocking flight dynamics.
- 2007 BBC Radio Online, Naked Scientists. News interview on animal flight research.
- 2006 Discovery Channel, Daily Planet. News interview on bird flight research.
- 2006 New Scientist. News items on insect and bird flight research.
- 2006 German Public Radio. News interview on bird flight research.
- 2005 BBC Radio 4, Designs on Nature. Documentary interview.
- 2004 BBC News Online. Comment on recent Archaeopteryx study in Nature
- 2004 Discovery Magazine. News piece on Strouhal number research.
- 2004 BBC1, Animal Camera. Scientific consultant.
- 2003 Korean Broadcasting Services, Documentary interview.
- 2003 BBC Radio 4, Was it a bird or was it a plane? Documentary interview.
- 2003 BBC Radio 4, Feathered Dinosaurs. Documentary interview.
- 2003 New Scientist. News piece on Strouhal number research.
- 2003 The Guardian. Feature article on insect flight research.
