84 - Flying Machines

Humanity’s quest for flight has been, all things considered, extremely successful! Sure, we aren’t all zipping around in jetpacks yet… but honestly I don’t think we’re ready for jetpacks. 

Follow us on Twitter @SciShowTangents, where we’ll tweet out topics for upcoming episodes and you can ask the science couch questions! 

While you're at it, check out the Tangents crew on Twitter: Stefan: @itsmestefanchin Ceri: @ceriley Sam: @slamschultz Hank: @hankgreen

If you want to learn more about any of our main topics, check out these links:

[Truth or Fail]

Donut-shaped aircraft

https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=US&NR=2014319274A1&KC=A1&FT=D&ND=3&date=20141030&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/flying-saucer-patents-alexander-weygers

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2377835A/en

Williams X-Jet

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4447024

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2000/sep/14/technology2

More pictures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_X-Jet#/media/File:Williams_X-Jet_-_side_view.jpg

Flying magic carpet 

https://books.google.com/books?id=biYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&

https://www.theverge.com/2011/11/3/2504531/jetpack-history-future-passed

[Fact Off]

First aerial photograph

https://www.geriwalton.com/felix-nadars-giant-balloon-le-geant/#:~:text=Felix%20Nadar's%20giant%20balloon%2C%20or,known%20by%20the%20pseudonym%20Nadar.&text=Caricature%20of%20Nadar%20as%20a%20ballooning%20photographer.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/23/books-felix-nadar-france-photography-flight

http://www.artinsociety.com/the-adventures-of-nadar-photography-ballooning-invention--the-impressionists.html

https://papa.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=808138&module_id=158950

Drone organ transport

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/uomm-uom042619.php

https://www.jems.com/2020/01/29/new-partnership-in-drone-delivery-system-for-human-organs/

https://weare.techohio.ohio.gov/2019/10/30/vyrtx-pioneers-air-corridor-for-drone-delivery-of-organs/

[Ask the Science Couch]

Alberto Santos-Dumont

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alberto-Santos-Dumont

https://www.cnet.com/news/were-the-wright-brothers-really-first-not-in-brazil/

https://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/12/10/brazil.santosdumont.reut/

http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/History_of_the_Airplane/Who_Was_First/Santos_Dumont/Santos_Dumont.htm

[Butt One More Thing]

Airplane stinky poop

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/31908620/ba-flight-forced-to-land-early-because-of-smelly-poo

Humanity’s quest for flight has been, all things considered, extremely successful! Sure, we aren’t all zipping around in jetpacks yet… but honestly I don’t think we’re ready for jetpacks. 

Follow us on Twitter @SciShowTangents, where we’ll tweet out topics for upcoming episodes and you can ask the science couch questions! 

While you're at it, check out the Tangents crew on Twitter: Stefan: @itsmestefanchin Ceri: @ceriley Sam: @slamschultz Hank: @hankgreen

If you want to learn more about any of our main topics, check out SciSHowTangnets.org!