“Can humans fly?” is the question that seems to have a clear answer, but not everyone knows exactly why. Wapolabs will give you an insight into this interesting topic and provide more information.
Can humans fly?
The short answer to the question can humans fly? Basically, humans can’t fly. We’ve failed to find a way to expand our wings and soar into the sky without any aid for many centuries. With airplanes or hot air balloons, we can still travel through the air, but it isn’t actually flying.
In fact, there are few records of people being able to float in the air. Such documents often record saints or followers of some religion. The influence of religion makes these records scientifically unreliable. Otherwise, these characters don’t actually have the ability to fly, though they can hover in the air.
Why can’t humans fly?
The first reason humans can’t fly is due to gravity. Gravity is a force that draws everything toward its center. According to Isaac Newton’s theory of universal gravitation, all objects with mass in the universe attract each other with a force called gravity.
This force is located at the center of each object and is proportional to the mass of the object and inversely proportional to the distance between the two objects. Humans can move stably on the ground and walk, run, and jump thanks to gravity.
According to this theory, humans cannot fly on their own without the help of machines to overcome the gravity of the Earth. The force a person may employ to lift his body off the ground is less than the force of gravity acting on that person.
The ratio between the human body and gravity on earth is also quite large, so we cannot break the rules of physics to fly. As we know, astronauts in zero-gravity environments can float in the air as if they are flying.
Why can birds fly but humans cannot?
Birds’ unique body shapes enable them to fly. Birds have light bodies and two wings. Their muscles can now lift their bodies because of this. The bird’s two wings may generate force and catch the wind to help it fly through the air. The bird’s distinctive skeletal structure and skull are suitable for flight.
The structure of the feathers of the birds also makes them easy to fly. The feathers on the tips of the wings help the bird create propulsion and control the direction of flight. The lower feathers act as rudders to help them slow down or turn. The feathers are composed of a tube-like bone in the center and covered with silk fibers, so the bird’s body weight is also lighter. That structure creates a horizontal network of bones that makes the bird’s body rigid.
A bird can fly for a long time because its lungs are powerful enough to allow for rapid breathing. With this ability, the amount of oxygen supplied to the chest muscles is enough for the bird to fly for a long time. Energy is provided continuously to serve the flapping of the wings to create the wind of the bird.
Wings are one of the essential components for flight; humans, however, lack wings. Humans are unable to fly with artificial wings since they are incompatible with their bodies. The human body is too big, too heavy, and too wind-resistant to be able to fly.
What if humans could fly?
Humans kinds have dreamed of flying since the beginning of time. If humans had the ability to fly, our bodies would have to adapt significantly to be appropriate for flight. You’ll have extra wings that are several times the length of your body and a strong enough chest muscle.
Your lungs will be 10 times stronger, to start. You can not hide your wings anywhere, you need some additional space. It will make life more difficult for you, especially when picking out clothes or bedding.
People’s ability to fly will considerably help reduce traffic jams significantly. Flying also contributes to environmental protection. However, from this point forward, you can be caught in air traffic and definitely have a flying accident.
From another perspective, the fact that humans can fly will put pressure on the government. Infrastructures must be upgraded to accommodate the new form of human mobility. Will there be traffic lights and routes in the air? And will we be able to construct all of them?
How humans can fly? – Attempt to take the sky
Humans may not be able to fly on their own, but that doesn’t stop them from exploring the sky. In the past and present, people are constantly looking for ways to make flying a reality. Unwavering efforts have helped humans reach the sky, but they have not yet discovered a means to fly using only their physical bodies.
Can humans fly with wings?
There have been numerous previous attempts to develop artificial wings to aid their flight. Records of artificial wings have been found since early 800 AD such as flying kites of the Tang Dynasty, the monk of Eilmer of Malmesbury with wings on his hands, and Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi with wings that resembled eagle’s wings. But they frequently get injured or die immediately.
Gliders: One of the first people to successfully fly with artificial wings was Otto Lilienthal from Germany. He made his first flight in the 1890s with a glider. Otto Lilienthal was a pioneer in glide-style flying inspired by the way birds fly with the wind. The model he used simply consisted of wings connected to the body, operating by starting from high land. He fell from the sky and died in 1896 due to adverse weather during his flight.
Jetwing: Recently, Yves Rossy, an inventor and former soldier from the United States, just achieved the first successful flight with an artificial wing. The term “Jetwing” or “Jetpack” refers to the artificial wing in question. It has four more jet engines and is composed of carbon fiber.
People will be able to fly with the help of the wings. These wings only help you fly when parachuting from above, not from the ground. Due to issues with air traffic regulations, these products have not yet reached commercial production.
How can humans fly without wings?
Hot air balloons:
- In the 18th century, the Montgolfier brothers successfully invented hot air balloons. They built on the theory of Italian scientist Francesco Lana de Terzi that lighter-than-air devices would help humans fly. By heating the air inside the balloon, the air inside the balloon is lighter and the balloon can rise. On June 5, 1783, Joseph and Étienne made the first ever balloon flight in front of a large audience.
- The balloon flew for 1.5 miles before landing safely on the ground. Only three months later, the first passengers of the hot air balloon, a rooster, a goat and a duck flew into the sky during an event organized by the French king to invite the brothers to Paris to perform.
- Finally, in November of the same year, the hot air balloon carrying two passengers flew 10 km in nearly half an hour. This is an event that sets the stage for the use of hot air balloons in particular and the future aviation industry in general.
Human-powered aircraft:
- There is another aircraft model which combines a fixed artificial wing with a human-powered propeller through pedaling. Many flight has been conducted with aircraft made based on this model. Prominent among them is the Daedalus plane – a result of experts and students at MIT.
- Daedalus is named after a person in Greek mythology – a talented architect, inventor and symbol of knowledge. This plane has a wingspan of 112 feet and weighs over 50 lbs.
- Daedulus made its first and only flight on April 23, 1988. The flight lasted more than three hours and the pilot – Olympic cyclist Kanellos Kanellopoulos, flew 72.4 miles. The tail of the plane was severely damaged by strong winds, and the plane also plunged into the black sea. Despite that, the pilot returned completely. The flight set a new record for flight performed by human power.
Airplane:
- In 1902, the Wright brothers successfully built the first airplane. On December 17, 1903 in North Carolina, USA, the Wright brothers made two flights with the Wright Flyer. The first and second flights can fly 36.5 m and 296 m as well as last for 12 seconds and 59 seconds respectively.
- The plane that made these two flights is called the Flyer I, which weighs more than 300kg and has a wingspan of 12m. This version of the plane still needed to drop and fly on the wind, but it opened a new era in mankind’s attempt to conquer the skies. The plane is currently housed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Humans’ dream of flying to the sky has existed for ages. Although many people have died and failed in the process of conquering the sky, their efforts and aspirations have helped make aviation technology what it is today.
Can humans evolve to fly?
It is almost impossible for humans to evolve to fly because we are not subject to the pressures of natural selection. If our bodies have evolved to be capable of flight, we must be able to fly in order to survive.
Our skeletal system would change if we evolved the ability to fly. Both the muscles’ function and some body parts may disappear. And it will take decades or perhaps millions of years for that evolution to occur.
Even if humans grow wings and develop some body part to fly, our current health condition will not be enough. Evolving to fly means that the human metabolism must also be enhanced. The energy burned there can be enough for humans to fly.
Can humans fly without machines?
Without the aid of technology, humans can still fly, but they require support equipment. Wingsuit flyers, parachutes, gliders and other methods are some of the tools you can use to fly without aircraft engines. Flying with specialized suits is actually a form of directional fall. We can adjust the direction of the fall, but we can’t really fly like a bird.
Can humans fly with their minds?
In some religions, they believe that practicing enables one to fly or move above the ground. Their body can overcome the force of gravity and hover for a while when they achieve the highest subconscious condition. But you can only fly in your lucid dreams or in your imagination.
Can humans fly using energy?
All flying devices use fuel sources. So technically, humans can fly using energy. But if you are referring to superpower energy, the answer is no.
Can humans fly like Superman?
Flying like Superman is simply impossible. Not all superheroes can fly. And the explanations for why Superman is able to fly also don’t apply to the health conditions of ordinary people. In addition, some superheroes also need equipment to be able to fly, such as a jet engine or a cape.
Can humans fly like birds?
Humans cannot fly like birds due to differences in body structure and other biological characteristics. Their light bodies, bone structure, and lungs allow them to fly in the sky and take advantage of the wind. Humans lack wings and are too heavy to fly in the sky without assistive devices. Maybe humans can levitate like squirrels when using flight aids. But we cannot fly from the ground and learn to fly like a bird.
Conclusion
“Can humans fly?” are always thought provoking questions. The physical features and laws of physics make it impossible for humans to fly. Even in the future, it will be difficult for us to evolve to fly. The human dream of conquering the sky, however, still drives us to find other ways to travel in the air.
Maybe we cannot fly on our own, but we can fully experience the feeling of flying through other activities. Flight aids or aviation vehicles have helped people move in the sky. At the end of the day, Wapolabs believes that future technological breakthroughs may allow us to fulfill our innate need to fly.
