In time for halloween. Learning to fly (as in throwing yourself against the ground and missing)

This might be handy, if you happen to be dressed up as a ghost or flying superhero or bat, etc - the SCQ has a piece up today, that goes over the physics of learning to fly, a la Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In other words, the piece takes a look at some of the Newtonian physics needed to "throw yourself at the ground and miss."

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It's quite well done, because it goes through the premise a single concept at a time (the above image for instance noting how to do it to fly for 1 second, and noting the caveat that since you accelerate as you fall, you need some more thinking to work out how to fly "indefinitely."

Anyway, worth a look.

As well, note that today is the last day to submit a question for Bill Hick, the Science Prick, and possibly win a great children's book (we've only received about 15 questions, but odds are good).

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This might be eligible for funding in the alternative fuels arena. Would certainly cut down on carbon emmissions. (I'm thinking of giant catapults...)