A turbine airfoil comprising: a wall portion comprising: a leading edge; a trailing edge; a pressure side; and a suction side; a cooling channel (62A, 62B) for receiving cooling air extending radially through an interior of the wall portion between the pressure side and the suction side; a plurality of trip strips (64, 66) lining the wall portion inside the cooling channel (62A, 62B) along the pressure side and the suction side; and a plurality of elongate, tapered pedestals having curved leading edges interposed within the trip strips and connecting the pressure side with the suction side, characterised in that the pedestals have a teardrop-shaped or ice-cream-cone-shaped cross-section, and in that: alternative A: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: a rounded leading edge having a first radius of curvature (R 1); a rounded trailing edge having a second radius of curvature (R 2) less than the first radius of curvature; and first and second tangent edges (80A, 80B) extending straight between the rounded leading edge and the rounded trailing edge, or alternative B: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: an arcuate leading edge wall; an arcuate trailing edge wall; and first and second side edge walls (82A, 82B) extending straight between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall, wherein each ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestal is tapered along the entire length of the side edge walls between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall. a wall portion comprising: a leading edge; a trailing edge; a pressure side; and a suction side; a leading edge; a trailing edge; a pressure side; and a suction side; a cooling channel (62A, 62B) for receiving cooling air extending radially through an interior of the wall portion between the pressure side and the suction side; a plurality of trip strips (64, 66) lining the wall portion inside the cooling channel (62A, 62B) along the pressure side and the suction side; and a plurality of elongate, tapered pedestals having curved leading edges interposed within the trip strips and connecting the pressure side with the suction side, characterised in that the pedestals have a teardrop-shaped or ice-cream-cone-shaped cross-section, and in that: alternative A: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: a rounded leading edge having a first radius of curvature (R 1); a rounded trailing edge having a second radius of curvature (R 2) less than the first radius of curvature; and first and second tangent edges (80A, 80B) extending straight between the rounded leading edge and the rounded trailing edge, or alternative B: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: an arcuate leading edge wall; an arcuate trailing edge wall; and first and second side edge walls (82A, 82B) extending straight between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall, wherein each ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestal is tapered along the entire length of the side edge walls between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall. alternative A: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: a rounded leading edge having a first radius of curvature (R 1); a rounded trailing edge having a second radius of curvature (R 2) less than the first radius of curvature; and first and second tangent edges (80A, 80B) extending straight between the rounded leading edge and the rounded trailing edge, or a rounded leading edge having a first radius of curvature (R 1); a rounded trailing edge having a second radius of curvature (R 2) less than the first radius of curvature; and first and second tangent edges (80A, 80B) extending straight between the rounded leading edge and the rounded trailing edge, or alternative B: each of the ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestals comprise: an arcuate leading edge wall; an arcuate trailing edge wall; and first and second side edge walls (82A, 82B) extending straight between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall, wherein each ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestal is tapered along the entire length of the side edge walls between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall. an arcuate leading edge wall; an arcuate trailing edge wall; and first and second side edge walls (82A, 82B) extending straight between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall, wherein each ice-cream-cone-shaped or teardrop-shaped pedestal is tapered along the entire length of the side edge walls between the arcuate leading edge wall and the arcuate trailing edge wall.