Foucault's Penguin is a giant mechanical penguin that illustrates the same principle of the famous Foucault pendulum except using a different more visually animated method.

In the case of the new Penguin version, a deep conically shaped excavation houses the swinging, rigid, powered pendulum, which hangs from a freely rotating bar. This entire arrangement is able to turn in a complete circle, facilitated by precision engineered bearings.

Extending above the pendulum is the actual 3 dimensional penguin. When the pendulum swings forward, the connected penguin tilts backwards, and vice versa, the net effect is the creation of a nodding, action for the penguin.

As the pendulum generates a precession below the surface, the connected penguin above repeats the action.

An ink delivery system located inside the penguin means that every time it lunges forward, its beak delivers a tiny dot to a calibrated circular strip of paper positioned around the perimeter of the viewing/visitor room.

This paper is periodically removed and replaced following each rotation of the pendulum/penguin.

Elaborate miniature versions of Foucault's Penguin are for sale in the shop.

Inevitable deluxe version lays an egg at the end of each complete precession.
-- xenzag, Aug 29 2019

Don't these poor, well-dressed, long-suffering characters already go through enough, what with the erratic weather patterns interfering with their feeding and breeding grounds?!

Penguin harassment [-1]
-- Sgt Teacup, Aug 29 2019


Can we eat the penguin afterwards?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 29 2019


"is a giant mechanical penguin...." The penguin is more likely to be modified to eat you.
-- xenzag, Aug 29 2019


Nice, I like this.
-- bondarchukb, Aug 29 2019


//The penguin is more likely to be modified to eat you//

I can help with that. With minimal tinkering, I can reactivate some dormant penguin genes and - gadulka! - penguin with teeth!
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 29 2019


I'm sure we can license you to construct that version for the usual exorbitant fee.
-- xenzag, Aug 29 2019


I'm going to hazard a guess that due to diet, penguin tastes much the same as gull.

For reference reading, try the true story "The Raft" (Robert Trumbull).

"When a plane carrying three airmen fails to return from its bombing mission on January 16, 1942, the U.S. Navy can afford only a brief search before giving the men up as dead"
-- normzone, Aug 29 2019



random, halfbakery