Tuesday, April 04, 2006

If Ants Could Fly...Origins of Insect Flight?

A very cool article - these wingless South American ants can achieve a primitive form of flight through orchestrated movement of their limbs. Like skydivers without the parachutes. I've been extensively studying the diagrams and video footage in preparation for my own inaugral flight off of the ORCC roof. Stay tuned for details...


3 comments:

Rob said...

Those videos were pretty sweet. Still unconvinced however, a better control drop would involve dropping an unconcious ant to account for body plan aerodynamics.
For your trials I think that you should get really drunk and pass out for the control drop. That will also dull the pain.
Also I think that the ORCC is not high enough. If one considers that the ants were dropped from 20m and they are a few millimeters in length.
Math = drop you from 200m or so...

Bayman said...

Point well taken. I wonder if the peace tower is high enough...only 300 ft. Damn, may have to take this think to Toronto...CN tower...500m...and I though this was going to be easy...

Anonymous Coward said...

I have an idea that involves the Bay-bes and a big fan: http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/21679/Topless_Sky_Diving_Simulator.html