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Da Vinci's Ornithopter Prepares For a Test Flight

Posted by Hemos on from the what-about-gurney-halleck dept.

Dirak writes "Over 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized a self-powered flying machine that would achieve both lift and thrust with flapping wings alone and named it the "ornithopter". Hot on the heels of the 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers flight, and the recent X prize, a team of scientists from University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace have taken on this challenge to make Leonardo's dream a reality."

5 of 213 comments (clear)

  1. Some limitations that have to be worked out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Currently, only pilots made of balsa wood can fly this thing.

  2. Whaa? by The-Bus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why bother even casting it? Sure, it's 0 Mana, but it's still a 0/2 Flying Artifact. Give me a break. What are you gonna do? Enchant it? Oooh, don't hurt me.

    Oh wait, you mean in real life. Ahhhh.... *whistling*

    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

  3. Re:Yesterday's tomorrow? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Handy things dictionaries. That's the last time I'll go to a ornithologist for a check-up!

  4. Re:Leonardo, not Da Vinci by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is very true. My buddy Ralph Da Vinci goes on rants about this all the time.

  5. Re:About time by BlueThunderArmy · · Score: 5, Funny
    Why is it so shocking? There is really no need for this.
    This is a pretty shocking reaction from a member of Slashdot community, which likes to do useful things like installing Linux on a Gamecube.