Is Human Flight Possible?

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The discussion centers on the possibility of human flight, specifically in the style of Superman, rather than traditional methods like flapping wings. Participants express a mix of skepticism and creativity, with some suggesting that while human flight as depicted in comics is unlikely due to biological limitations, advancements in technology could allow for a form of flight through jetpacks or other devices. The conversation touches on the idea of altering human capabilities through technology or genetic modifications, as well as the theoretical potential of superconductors to enable levitation. However, many emphasize the need for mechanical assistance for any form of flight, dismissing the notion of natural human flight as unrealistic. The thread also includes humorous exchanges and references to pop culture, highlighting the imaginative nature of the topic while grounding it in scientific principles. Ultimately, the consensus leans towards the impracticality of achieving flight like Superman without significant technological intervention.
  • #51
Leonardo da Vinci had many drawings that human flights were indeed possible. Have you ever take a good look at his drawings?
 
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  • #52
jhooper3581 said:
Leonardo da Vinci had many drawings that human flights were indeed possible. Have you ever take a good look at his drawings?

I can also draw superman with a cape, that does not mean said drawing proves it to be possible.
 
  • #53
Why this thread isn't deleted amazes me. Seriously...? What point does this thread serve other than to promote nonsense?
 
  • #54
jhooper3581 said:
Leonardo da Vinci had many drawings that human flights were indeed possible. Have you ever take a good look at his drawings?

I am a fan of da Vinci, yes. I am well-familiar with his drawings. My office is decorated with them for inspiration.

But drawings do not fly. What's your point?



I'll beat you to the punch: you obviously think his devices worked. They did not.
.
.
.
 
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  • #55
Cyrus said:
Why this thread isn't deleted amazes me. Seriously...? What point does this thread serve other than to promote nonsense?

Wow, I don't say this very often - but I couldn't possibly agree more with Cyrus.:confused::rolleyes::biggrin:
 
  • #56
Cyrus said:
Why this thread isn't deleted amazes me. Seriously...? What point does this thread serve other than to promote nonsense?
So we can have fun and post awesome videos like this..

Now hush up! ;-p
 
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  • #57
Warning: Don't try this at home!

Flying is easy. Just jump and aim for the ground and miss.
 
  • #58
jeremylorino said:
Is human flight possible? I'm not talking about flapping your wings. I'm talking about flying like Superman. I think it's possible. Does anyone have an explanation? I fly all the time in my dreams and I feel like I could fly in real life. Please be serious about this post because I am.

Although our bodies do not allow flight, I believe that some kind of alteration or addition to a human may allow flight, but I do not think such an ability would occur naturally. I'm guessing something that would allow a person to travel at an extremely fast rate or some way to counter gravity's pull.
 
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  • #59
I used to make the room spin by drinking enough beer.
 
  • #60
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  • #61
Humans can fly on their own right now... until they hit the ground.
 
  • #62
Superman's powers make a lot more sense if his actual power is to change the inertial mass of matter through contact.
 
  • #63
I don't know whether or not this was brought about as a response to all of the physics-based criticism, but a few years back the authors at DC decided that Supe's powers were all psionically based. I can't think of that as an improvement, since psionic ability doesn't exist either, but at least they're consolidating all of their **** into one pile.
 
  • #64
Human flight might one day become possible with the discovery of a room temperature superconductor. If scientists discovered a room termperature superconductor one could create extremely powerful magnetic fields rather cheaply. You could wear a belt with these magnets on it that would allow you to levitate off the ground like superman.

Also, since water is a diamagnet if you had a powerful enough superconducting magnet you could make yourself levitate in the pressence of this magnetic field. Scientists have already levitated small animals using the diamagnetic property of water.

This isn't exactly flying like superman but it is the closest we could get.
 
  • #65
tmyer2107 said:
Human flight might one day become possible with the discovery of a room temperature superconductor. If scientists discovered a room termperature superconductor one could create extremely powerful magnetic fields rather cheaply. You could wear a belt with these magnets on it that would allow you to levitate off the ground like superman.

Also, since water is a diamagnet if you had a powerful enough superconducting magnet you could make yourself levitate in the pressence of this magnetic field. Scientists have already levitated small animals using the diamagnetic property of water.

This isn't exactly flying like superman but it is the closest we could get.

It's already been done in 1985.

http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/backtothefuture_hoverboard.jpg
 
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  • #66
I'll just stick to my jetpack. Now I need to go to the store and get some eggs, hope I don't hit a bird, they taste bad. And bikers think they have it rough.
 
  • #67
Human Flight is possible, but not on Earth (outside of aircraft). The gravity is not right on this celestrial object. It would be possible on Titan.
 
  • #68
When I was a kid, I imagined a tiny computer device that attached to my wrist. It could hold all the VCR movies and play them, along with all my cassette tapes and even do various calculations like my Tandy calculator. It could also communicate with my friends like a cordless phone. But that was only a dream. There's no way you can squeeze hours of VCR tapes and cassette music into a tiny device, and talk to people with it, too.

Now if you really want to talk about wild, another kid had this idea of shooting a rocket to the moon with a robot that would map it and send back video or pictures.
 
  • #69
If human consciousness is held within a field, as it has been proposed, then the idea of consciously willing yourself off the ground could be conceptualized by manipulating your own field of consciousness.
I mean that's what makes sense to me.
Consider the possibility that this field could somehow slip through the air without the hindrance of friction, drag, or even gravity.
Forget aerodynamics.
Its like electricity. Only, instead of manipulating the flow of electrons through a solid medium like metal, it is the flow of consciousness through time and space.
I think human flight is possible if somehow we can concentrate brainwaves into a rhythmic pattern instead of the chaotic signals and electrical randomness of the unfocused mind. If somehow we could realize that the spaces between our destinations are simply different aspects of ourselves, we could be more convinced that we can move at all.
So really the question is, "Is it possible to convince oneself of his own imagination?"
 
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  • #70
Mr. E. said:
If human consciousness is held within a field, as it has been proposed, then the idea of consciously willing yourself off the ground could be conceptualized by manipulating your own field of consciousness.
I mean that's what makes sense to me.
Consider the possibility that this field could somehow slip through the air without the hindrance of friction, drag, or even gravity.
Forget aerodynamics.
Its like electricity. Only, instead of manipulating the flow of electrons through a solid medium like metal, it is the flow of consciousness through time and space.
I think human flight is possible if somehow we can concentrate brainwaves into a rhythmic pattern instead of the chaotic signals and electrical randomness of the unfocused mind. If somehow we could realize that the spaces between our destinations are simply different aspects of ourselves, we could be more convinced that we can move at all.
So really the question is, "Is it possible to convince oneself of his own imagination?"

OK, I know this thread has been drawing only half-serious responses, and it is, after all, in GD, but this seems to have crossed the line; it is both quite serious and quite woo-woo-ist at the same time.

Let's pretend you said this tongue-in-cheek, so the thread doesn;t get locked...
 
  • #71
Well I see two methods to do this...

Study as a buddhist monk for 60 years inside an isolated cave until you master the power of "mind"

Or you could just stop eating so that you become so light weight that on a gusty windy day you just go outside and fly in the breeze.
 
  • #72
It's called falling - gracefully - aka skydiving. Eventually, one employs a parachute - assuming one wishes to fall again sometime - in the future.

To 'fly' requires mechanical assistance.
 
  • #73
Has anyone given any thought to having a condors wings graphed onto their back? I suppose they could geneticly alter them to be super strong right?
 
  • #74
Astronuc said:
It's called falling - gracefully

It's called throwing yourself at the ground - and missing.
 
  • #75
magpies said:
Has anyone given any thought to having a condors wings graphed onto their back? I suppose they could geneticly alter them to be super strong right?

And I guess grafting a condor's brain onto their own brain, to control the extra muscles?

And then there's the square-cube problem. A condor's big, but it's not that big...

According to Wiki, theymax out at ... 10kg. So a human, who might weigh 50kg, would need wings that are 5^2 (2.23x) larger in area or 5^3 (1.7x) times longer.
 
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  • #76
magpies said:
Has anyone given any thought to having a condors wings graphed onto their back? I suppose they could geneticly alter them to be super strong right?

Wow, just wow.
 
  • #77
Mr. E. said:
If human consciousness is held within a field, as it has been proposed, then the idea of consciously willing yourself off the ground could be conceptualized by manipulating your own field of consciousness.
I mean that's what makes sense to me.
Consider the possibility that this field could somehow slip through the air without the hindrance of friction, drag, or even gravity.
Forget aerodynamics.
Its like electricity. Only, instead of manipulating the flow of electrons through a solid medium like metal, it is the flow of consciousness through time and space.
I think human flight is possible if somehow we can concentrate brainwaves into a rhythmic pattern instead of the chaotic signals and electrical randomness of the unfocused mind. If somehow we could realize that the spaces between our destinations are simply different aspects of ourselves, we could be more convinced that we can move at all.
So really the question is, "Is it possible to convince oneself of his own imagination?"
Sure, you can convince yourself you can do anything. Reality is you'll go "splat"

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