3 ms·

Every once in a while I have to re-realize how amazing this phenomenon is. The only thing in nature that flies are birds which weigh a few ounces. Nothing human

Every once in a while I have to re-realize how amazing this phenomenon is. The only thing in nature that flies are birds which weigh a few ounces. Nothing human-scale flies. Cars don't fly. Yet, the flying machines we decide to build weigh a million pounds and fly simply by going fast until the air lifts them up. That is some ludicrous black magic.

Eduard 10y ago
bats and many insects can fly too.
- bbcbasic 10y ago
  And small planes
- vpribish 10y ago
  Very small rocks
  - mcguire 10y ago
    The occasional large rock, for short distances.
eCa 10y ago
Imagine seeing the quetzalcoatlus[1] fly... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus
- subroutine 10y ago
  Possibly James Cameron's inspiration for Toruk Makto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7NZERuFNEw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7NZERuFNEw
- mcguire 10y ago
  The size comparisons there don't do it justice. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/09/de/53/09de530635ecb6731a6f71c4c23a6de0.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/09/de/53/09de53063... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0a/a1/80/0aa180ef69dddccffeda11d79a96d843.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0a/a1/80/0aa180ef6... If you're near Austin, the Texas Memorial Museum on the UT campus had a mounted skeleton.
nicolas314 10y ago
There is no magic. If you look carefully enough you can see the string holding planes in the air.
hyperknot 10y ago
A lightweight paragliding set can be as light as 3 kg these days, and experienced pilots can travel 200+ kilometers regularly with a tiny bit heavier set (say 8 kg).
- lloeki 10y ago
  Paragliding requires ascending currents to maintain or gain altitude, IOW you're always going downwards relative to the surrounding air mass. Birds don't (although they obviously do know how to use it for the cheap). I think maybe the GP is more amazed about the (self-) generated lift and assorted scale. Seems like humans have a thing for hurling self-propelled heavy metal boxes at ridiculous speeds, whether on ground, in the air, or in a vacuum.
  - rubberstamp 10y ago
    gyrocopters are light weight and can takeoff and land in small patch of land.
LoSboccacc 10y ago
http://www.lensman.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/140223-Dalmatian-Pelican-panning.jpg http://www.lensman.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/140223-Dalm... "and then he said, 'ounces'"

Eduard 10y ago

bats and many insects can fly too.

bbcbasic 10y ago
And small planes
vpribish 10y ago
Very small rocks
- mcguire 10y ago
  The occasional large rock, for short distances.

eCa 10y ago

Imagine seeing the quetzalcoatlus[1] fly... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus

subroutine 10y ago
Possibly James Cameron's inspiration for Toruk Makto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7NZERuFNEw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7NZERuFNEw
mcguire 10y ago
The size comparisons there don't do it justice. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/09/de/53/09de530635ecb6731a6f71c4c23a6de0.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/09/de/53/09de53063... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0a/a1/80/0aa180ef69dddccffeda11d79a96d843.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0a/a1/80/0aa180ef6... If you're near Austin, the Texas Memorial Museum on the UT campus had a mounted skeleton.

nicolas314 10y ago

There is no magic. If you look carefully enough you can see the string holding planes in the air.

hyperknot 10y ago

A lightweight paragliding set can be as light as 3 kg these days, and experienced pilots can travel 200+ kilometers regularly with a tiny bit heavier set (say 8 kg).

lloeki 10y ago
Paragliding requires ascending currents to maintain or gain altitude, IOW you're always going downwards relative to the surrounding air mass. Birds don't (although they obviously do know how to use it for the cheap). I think maybe the GP is more amazed about the (self-) generated lift and assorted scale. Seems like humans have a thing for hurling self-propelled heavy metal boxes at ridiculous speeds, whether on ground, in the air, or in a vacuum.
- rubberstamp 10y ago
  gyrocopters are light weight and can takeoff and land in small patch of land.

LoSboccacc 10y ago

http://www.lensman.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/140223-Dalmatian-Pelican-panning.jpg http://www.lensman.se/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/140223-Dalm... "and then he said, 'ounces'"