Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The rounded projection makes a wave of its own that partly cancels the bow wave, lowering resistance. The figure is taken from Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a technology fact?

Yes. It sits on the Technology shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

A bulbous bow cancels part of its own wave

The rounded projection makes a wave of its own that partly cancels the bow wave, lowering resistance David Taylor experimented with bulbous bows for the United States Navy around 1912, though the idea spread widely only when fuel costs rose in the 1970s. The bulb shifts the pressure field forward so the wave system of the hull becomes smaller. It helps most near a particular design speed and can hurt a ship running slowly. It sits in Mondo's technology collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

Technology trivia Science trivia

More facts like this

Steam engines grew efficient by expanding steam twiceCompound cylinders squeezed more work from the same coal and made ships faster Fast propellers can boil the water around themLow pressure on a spinning blade turns seawater into vapour, and the collapsing bubbles pit the metal Ships carry blocks of metal meant to corrodeZinc or aluminium anodes bolted to a steel hull dissolve first, protecting the steel from seawater Ships must treat ballast water before releaseTanks filled in one port are filtered, irradiated or dosed before discharge so stowaway species do not spread The longest ship ever built was 458 metres longThe Seawise Giant was longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise shipThe vessel measures 248,663 gross tonnes and carries up to 7,600 guests

Tags: ships, hydrodynamics, efficiency

A bulbous bow cancels part of its own wave: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The rounded projection makes a wave of its own that partly cancels the bow wave, lowering resistance. The figure is taken from Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a technology fact?: Yes. It sits on the Technology shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.