Sunday 6 September 2009

Yes, Virginia, Bees do Fly!

I was watching The Bee Movie (which was more a 'C' or even a 'D'), and it opens by saying that according to science, a bee is unable to fly, but bees don't know this and fly anyway.

Yes, it's one of those old jokes, we know about it, apparently from way back in 1934. This is about applying the model of fixed-wing aircraft to bees and this implied that bees shouldn't be able to fly.

That's right, they can't. According to that model. Thing is, that's the wrong model. Using a mobile wing model... way-hey, bees fly! They flap their wings fast. Really, really fast. Don't believe me? Just look at the video below.

The important point is: People know this. It was explained a while ago, and certainly way before Bee Movie was ever considered. Yes, I'm complaining about this in a movie in which there are talking bees, but considering the science behind the creation of this computer generated movie, I would have hoped they might have at least thought for a moment about presenting correct science. But, then again, where's the money in that?


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