Scientist: Angels can't fly

upi ^ | Dec. 22, 2009

[JoeProBono]

LONDON, A London scientist has authored a paper arguing angels as classically depicted, mostly-human forms with wings, would be unable to fly.

Professor Roger Wotton of University College London wrote in his paper, which was published by the school's Opticon magazine, that human-appearing angels with feathered bird-like wings would not be able to use the wings for flight, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

"Even a cursory examination of the evidence in representational arts shows that angels and cherubs cannot take off and cannot use powered flight," Wotton wrote. "And even if they used gliding flight, they would need to be exposed to very high wind velocities at take off -- such high winds that they would be blown away and have no need for wings."

Wotton's paper also took aim at fantasy depictions of fairies with the wings of butterflies.

"The distortion of the thorax needed for flight in fairies with butterfly wings would be exceedingly uncomfortable," the paper read. "For sure, fairies don't fly."

[JoeProBono]

[Joe 6-pack]

"The wings in art are representative of a spirit’s ability to be operative as they will."

Actually, the wings in art are merely the early Christian adaptation of images of Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory...

It still finds its way into modern heraldry, i.e. the HHC 1st ID unit crest...

[JoeProBono]

[ArrogantBustard]

According to me helicopters can’t fly.

They don't.

There are two theories that I'm aware of:

1) They don't fly, they just beat the air into submission.

2) They don't fly, they're so ugly that the earth repels them.

[Waco]

Some people have tooo much time on their hands.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[Joe 6-pack]

Guess who paid for Tiger's reconstructive surgery...

[CholeraJoe]

Why is there poop all over that hand?

[JoeProBono]

His guardian angel?

[mad_as_he$$]

lol. I like them both!!! That many parts trying to fling themselves apart is just plain against logic.

[Revolting cat!]

That picture of a pig is clearly Photoshopped. It’s ridiculous. Everyone knows that pigs are mammals and don’t have feathers, so pig wings have the same fur as the rest of their bodies. Didn’t you ever study biology?

You don't say! Really? You're pulling my leg, aren't ya?

[hellbender]

I’ve been in some old cemeteries and been struck by the obvious evidence of high infant mortality, at least up into the early 19th cent. Sometimes there are 5 little gravestones representing a whole family’s children wiped out in a few days by a single disease.

[Don W]

Helicopters DON’T fly: They beat the air into submission, allowing the earth to repel the abhorrent things.

[PA Engineer]

No fly list?

[JoeProBono]

[Don W]

Great minds think alike. See my #94. LOL

[verity]

Congratulations.