• Question: why don't humans have wings so that they could see the world in less time a plane takes?

    Asked by amina to Betul, Bridget, Ceri-Wyn, Laurel, Maria on 20 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by daniel1pick, alexleigh, mayakatz, wivocricket.
    • Photo: Ceri-Wyn Thomas

      Ceri-Wyn Thomas answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Well, I guess there is no real need or selection pressure for wings in human beings. That’s why we invented planes to the job for us. However- I don’t think we would see the world faster than travelling by plane. For a start we’re not at all aerodynamic and it would take HUGE amounts of energy for us to become airborne and fly to another country. If we ran out of energy halfway we would drop to Earth. Birds do it by being aerodynamic and conserving vast amounts of energy and by having a body specifically adapted for flight. Planes are quicker and comfier so I’m sticking with them 😉

    • Photo: Bridget Waller

      Bridget Waller answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Well…wings might be cool, but even if we had them I think a plane would be faster… 🙂

    • Photo: Laurel Fogarty

      Laurel Fogarty answered on 20 Jun 2010:

      I’m afraid that natural selection only favours traits that help us survive, we don’t need wings to survive so we don’t have any!

      Would be fun though…

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