Is there a pronounced physical difference between wild and domesticated turkeys?
Penn State Scranton biology majors Matthew Moran and Jordan Symonies are trying to answer that question – with a bit of assistance from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
As part of their research-oriented Biology 494 independent study course, Moran and Symonies, along with their instructors, Associate Professor of Biology Meg Hatch and Associate Professor of Physics Asif ud-Doula, recently visited the Lockheed Martin facility in Archbald to gain access to one of its highly advanced pieces of machinery.
There, Lockheed Martin personnel tested the group’s turkey bone samples using the plant’s Instron 3369, a specialized machine that can continuously exert force on a given material.
Following a few tweaks, the machine was able to measure the variables needed to calculate the bending strength (i.e. the maximum amount of stress the bone can withstand before breaking) and Young’s Modulus (the stiffness of the bone) of the bones.
The trip, which was facilitated by the campus’ Center for Business Development and Community Outreach, proved to be a “fantastic” experience, according to Hatch.