[Update:- NB: This was an April Fool joke. -cvj]
Well, I learned recently* that the BBC wildlife program makers have done it again, breaking new ground in scientific discovery while making a new series. Quite amazing this time. From the Daily Telegraph website:
The BBC will today screen remarkable footage of penguins flying as part of its new natural history series, Miracles of Evolution.
Also:
The programme is being presented by ex-Monty Python star Terry Jones, who said: “We’d been watching the penguins and filming them for days, without a hint of what was to come.
“But then the weather took a turn for the worse. It was quite amazing. Rather than getting together in a huddle to protect themselves from the cold, they did something quite unexpected, that no other penguins can do.”
Above right (click for larger view) is a screen shot that I took of the incredible footage they captured. You can read more of this amazing story here.
The wonderful video of them flying is just unbelievable! Have a look.
Enjoy!
-cvj
(*Thanks Nick!)
On this day on Asymptotia...
- More Trouble for LHC? - 2008
- Best Of The Day - 2007
Some Related Asymptotia Posts (not exhaustive):
You know, it would be nice to see flying penguins, but I felt that watching film of *swimming* penguins was amazing. They seem to literally fly through the water, even though only an April Fool would believe that they fly through the air.
This is really amazing. Perhaps you can do a post on the physics behind these Penguins being able to fly at some later date. It would seem that their wings are not exactly large enough for their body weight but who am I to say.
e
I love it, especially the final touchdown shot! Thanks, cvj!
Oh! This is such a relief. No more marching! Perhaps they will survive global warming after all.
Elliot: - I suppose they’d be akin to the bumble bee in this respect. Aren’t they supposed to be ill-equipped to fly, but nevertheless manage to… or is that no longer true?
-cvj
Supernova:- I also love the taking off shots. The little jumping motions, the frantic run, and then finally - up!
Samantha:- Yes, perhaps I should have called the post “The Flight of the Penguins”.
Jude:- Their swimming is remarkable to watch too. I wonder if they are a population that just adapted their swimming technique? Perhaps their chief scientists and engineers did some careful computations (using penguin diagrams at some point, of course) to assess the feasibility of it…?
-cvj
So the new saying is “float like a penguin, sting like a bee”???
e.
I have a little girl who is really into birds right now, so I have seen quite a few bird nature videos (the only thing that got us through a weeklong bout of stomach flu was the BBC’s “Life of Birds” series). Anyway, this one is my favorite!
With “Heart songs” how did you think these Penguins couldn’t fly?:)
Set in an Antarctic emperor penguin colony, the film establishes that every penguin must sing a unique song (called a “Heartsong”) to attract a soul mate.
So, there was one “a little different” that broke the mould:) I actually enjoyed the music and songs a lot.