The rules of physics can sometimes be counterintuitive. How else but with a dash of stubbornness from Mother Nature can one explain golf balls flying far because of these strange dimples? Crazy as it sounds, dimples improve aerodynamics. The rule also applies under water: the rough and tough skin of sharks is actually what helps them swim so fast.

German airline Lufthansa is taking a cue from nature and covering several of its Boeing 777 freighters with a surface film that mimics the structure of sharkskin. Working alongside BASF, the airline is planning to launch the new technology in 2022. Both companies, however, are staying mum about what the film is made of, how the dimples are created, and what the whole thing costs.

What we know so far is that 50-micron “riblets” imitate the properties of sharkskin, and thus help save fuel. For the freighters, Lufthansa estimates a “drag reduction” of more than 1%. For a fleet of 10 aircraft, this translates to annual savings of around 3,700 t of kerosene and almost 11,700 t of carbon emissions. Let’s just hope that no force majeure forces the “sharkskin” production to make an emergency landing!