I think this article is pretty wacky but the source seemed legit (Duke University / University of Toulouse Professors writing in Journal of Applied Physics) so thought I'd put it out there for discussion.
Caveat emptor!
Law of physics governs airplane evolution
Law of physics governs airplane evolution
Researchers believe they now know why the supersonic trans-Atlantic Concorde aircraft went the way of the dodo—it hit an evolutionary cul-de-sac. In a new study, Adrian Bejan, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Duke University, shows that a law of physics he penned more than two decades ago helps explain the evolution of passenger airplanes from the small, propeller-driven DC-3s of yore to today's behemoth Boeing 787s.
The analysis also provides insights into how aerospace companies can develop successful future designs. The Concorde, alas, was too far from the curve of these good designs, Bejan says. The paper appears online July 22, in the Journal of Applied Physics.[snip]
In the case of commercial aircraft, designs have evolved to allow more people and goods to flow across the face of the Earth. Constructal law has also dictated the main design features needed for aircraft to succeed; the engine mass has remained proportional to the body size, the wing size has been tied to the fuselage length, and the fuel load has grown in step with the total weight.
[snip] The chart shows how the ratio of mass to speed of animals follows the same general rules as airplanes. Note that the Concorde is way off of the historical trend.
