There
are names for the different ways a parachute can go wrong. The above
picture shows what’s called a “Mae West malfunction.” Can you guess
why?
According to Wikipedia:
A
"Mae West" or "blown periphery" is a type of round parachute
malfunction that contorts the shape of the canopy into the outward
appearance of a brassiere, presumably one suitable for a buxom woman
having the proportions of the late actress Mae West. The column of nylon
fabric, buffeted by the wind, rapidly heats from friction and opposite
sides of the canopy fuse together in a narrow region, removing any
chance of the canopy opening fully.
This is just one of
a half-dozen things named after Mae West you can read about at Weird Universe.
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