In a small lab at NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, experimental physicist Leif Ristroph is attempting to fill the holes in our understanding of dynamic flight. Exploring the dynamics of both air and water, Ristroph and his team borrow from nature to investigate the physics of flight and create lightweight flying machines with simple motors. Eventually, Ristroph hopes that advances in the field of fluid dynamics could lead to smaller, more easily manoeuvrable aircrafts.