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  • Forces of Flight
    • The Four Forces
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Q:

Why can some bird fly while others can't?

A:

Some birds simply didn't evolve to fly. Penguins have become too fat and bulky, good for the freezing cold of the Antarctic, but too heavy to make it off the ground. Ostriches have adapted to run at great speeds, but are also too heavy to take flight. Like humans, some birds aren't built to fly.

Ask an Explainer
Posted on December 30, 2013 at 11:32 am
Categories:
Flight Dynamics
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