飞机的窗户为何是圆的？

They used to be square—so what gives?

它们曾经是方形的，所以发生了什么呢？

Whether you love your window seat or prefer to stay far away and forget you're in flight, you've no doubt noticed that all airplane windows are round.

无论你是喜欢靠窗的座位，还是宁愿待在很远的地方，忘记自己在飞行中，你无疑已经注意到所有的飞机窗户都是圆的。

It's something that you probably haven't questioned because it's just the way it is.

这是你可能没有质疑过的事情，因为它就是这样。

But is there a reason behind it? Does the shape actually help the plane stay up, or are the curved edges just more aesthetically pleasing?

但这背后有什么原因吗？形状真的有助于飞机保持直立，还是曲线边缘更美观？

Plane windows were not always round—they used to be square. The round shape, though gentle on the eyes, is for a lot more than aesthetic purposes.

飞机的窗户并不总是圆的，以前是方形的。圆润的外形，虽然对眼睛来说很柔和，但它不仅仅是为了美观。

Rounded corners are designed to help distribute the pressure exerted on the window evenly, reducing the likelihood of a window cracking under changing air pressure.

圆角的设计有助于均匀分布施加在车窗上的压力，减少在不断变化的空气压力下车窗开裂的可能性。

This Is Why Airplane Windows are Round

In 1953 and '54,three separate planes—all de Havilland Comets, the first airliner—jet disintegrated in midair because of stress concentrates caused by the sharp edges of their windows.

1953年和1954年，三架不同的飞机都是德哈维兰彗星，这是第一架喷气式客机在半空中解体，原因是窗户锋利的边缘导致应力集中。

The analysis of the crashes, and the similar injuries on the passengers, demonstrated that "metal fatigue failure"—originating from the corners of the windows—had brought the planes down.

对坠机事件和乘客身上类似伤害的分析表明，源自窗户角落的“金属疲劳故障”导致飞机坠落。

This led to the oval design you see today—stress could flow more evenly around a round window rather than building up at the corners of a square one. With this new and improved shape, stress can flow smoothly, and we can fly safely.

这导致了你今天看到的椭圆形设计，压力可以更均匀地在圆形窗户周围流动，而不是在方形窗户的拐角处积聚。有了这种新的和改进的形状，压力可以顺畅地流动，我们可以安全地飞行。

So next time you're looking out an airplane window, be very grateful that they're that round shape!

所以下次当你从飞机窗户向外看的时候，要非常感激它们是圆形的！

左右滑动，观看绝美夜景

what gives 出了什么事?

What gives you the right to do that? 

你有什么权利这样做？

window seat 靠窗座位

have no doubt noticed that 毫无疑问注意到

help the plane stay up 帮助飞机保持高度

curved / sharp edges

aesthetically pleasing 美观

aesthetic purposes

分配压力

对…施加压力

压力集中

压力在角落里积聚

distribute the pressure

exerted pressure on 

stress concentrates

stress building up at the corners of

reducing the likelihood of 

airliner—jet

disintegrate 解体

in midair

metal fatigue failure

flow evenly / smoothly