Badminton Feather (shuttlecock)

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A model of Shuttlecock (Badminton Feather) is a high-drag projectile used in badminton sports. It has a unique open conical shape formed by feathers embedded into a rounded cork base. The shuttle's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable, and it will always turn to fly cork first, remaining in the same orientation. The name 'cock' originates from 1570s England when badminton became popular. It is frequently shortened to shuttle. The "shuttle" part of the name comes from its back-and-forth motion during the game, similar to a loom's shuttle. Meanwhile, the "cock" part of the name is derived from the resemblance of the feathers to those on a chicken. A shuttlecock weighs approximately 4.75 to 5.50 grams (0.168 to 0.194 oz). It has 16 feathers each measuring 70 mm (2.8 in) long. The cork's diameter ranges from 25 to 28 mm (0.98 to 1.10 in), while the circle formed by the feathers measures around 58 to 68 mm (2.3 to 2.7 in). A shuttlecock is made of 16 overlapping feathers, usually goose or duck, embedded into a rounded cork base covered with thin leather. It's recommended to use feathers from right or left wings only for each shuttlecock and not mix them as they are shaped differently. The feathers are brittle; shuttlecocks break easily and often need replacement several times during a game. This is why synthetic shuttlecocks were developed, replacing the feathers with a plastic skirt. Players refer to synthetic shuttlecocks as plastics while feathered ones are called feathers. Feather shuttles require proper humidification for at least 4 hours before play to fly the correct distance and speed. Properly humidified feathers flex during play, enhancing the shuttle's speed change and durability. Dry feathers break easily, causing wobbling, while saturated feathers become 'mushy' making the feather cone narrow too much when hit strongly. A typical humidification process involves using a humidification box or inserting a small moist sponge in the feather end of the closed shuttle tube container to avoid water contact with the cork. Shuttles are tested before play to ensure they fly true, at the proper speed and cover the right distance. Different weights of shuttles are used to compensate for local atmospheric conditions such as humidity and height above sea level. The World Badminton Federation Rules state that the shuttle should reach the far doubles service line plus or minus half its width. According to manufacturers, a proper shuttle will generally travel from the back line of the court to just short of the long doubles service line on the opposite side of the net with a full underhand hit from an average player.