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Great question! We’ve talked about the physics of kite flying before. There are a few ways to keep a kite up without wind. One possibility is a thermal column. Thermals are disturbances in Earth’s atmosphere caused when the sun heats the ground, causing the air above it to rise. If this rising air creates a strong enough force, it can actually carry things with it. Seagulls and ospreys rely on these columns to hover in place for extended periods of time, and glider pilots use them to re-gain altitude.