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See the original image at telegraph.co.uk

Flying penguins found by BBC programme

telegraph.co.uk — The BBC will today screen remarkable footage of penguins flying as part of its new natural history series, Miracles of Evolution.

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  • hjdutch, on 04/01/2008, -42/+5www.reddit.com
    • Baku, on 04/01/2008, -0/+3Yeah its a damn good april fool. :)
    • glinsvad, on 04/01/2008, -1/+3Dugg for Simpsons reference!
    • GawtMilk, on 04/01/2008, -0/+6The CGI in this April Fools Joke cost $397,000.
  • bholenath, on 04/01/2008, -30/+7this is some kinda April fool prank right??
    • jimmy17, on 04/01/2008, -1/+32Nope, have you not been to London Zoo. They have put in a large enclosure for this breed during the renovation last year. You can go down see the flying. Although I thought it was rather cruel to cage them.
      • CryRightardCry, on 04/01/2008, -2/+3There's nothing sadder than watching a penguin smashing over and over into a glass ceiling as it tries to fly away.
        • iamnobody8614, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1probably something you'd see on an old episode of America's Funniest Home Videos
    • feonixphlame, on 04/01/2008, -2/+2o rly
    • inigomntoya, on 04/01/2008, -2/+5The host of the show alerted me that this might be some sort of prank... And then I watched the video - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/ttv/arts.jhtml?b ...
      • positron, on 04/01/2008, -0/+5I wonder how far one of those penguins could fly carrying a coconut.
        • Ford_Prefect2nd, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2Probably further then a swollow
          • jackal42, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2................what type of swallow?
    • etsboy1, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1maybe.. maybe not.. it's for you to decide
  • PappyPapillon, on 04/01/2008, -64/+6I've spent my entire adult life designing and building aircraft and there is no way a penguin can fly. This story is complete and utter BS.
    • cornswalled, on 04/01/2008, -12/+21According to scientists Bumblebees shouldn't be able to fly either.
      • johnsaulrubio, on 04/01/2008, -5/+3You're kidding, right?
      • btdub, on 04/01/2008, -2/+8Nope. Hummingbirds, Vultures, Grasshoppers, Rush Limbaughs soul... all on the scientists "should-not-fly" reference guide.
        • Tiak, on 04/02/2008, -1/+1Note: Your facts appear to be wrong, scientists currently believe Rush Limbaugh's soul to only be an illusory thing that appears as an artifact of various exotic forms of math.
      • jimmy17, on 04/01/2008, -5/+3Nope. Scientists NEVER siad bees coudn't fly. They only couln't explain how they did (untill a few years ago that is)
      • Ford_Prefect2nd, on 04/01/2008, -4/+2Indeed that is a myth, they create thier own updraft...wow, I am smarter then... "scientists"
      • PappyPapillon, on 04/01/2008, -1/+3The aerodynamics of the bumblebee is well understood. Only someone who would fall for an April Fool's joke about penguins being able to fly would believe that any scientist or aerospace engineer would say such a thing about a bumblebee.
    • chochazel, on 04/01/2008, -1/+17That's a notorious urban myth.
      It started when an entomologist called Antoine Magnan wrote a book in 1934 in which he used a mathematical equation to show that the maximum lift for an aircraft wings could not be achieved at the speed of a bee - i.e. that an aeroplane the size of a bee that went at the speed of a bee would not be able to fly. Obviously he wasn't saying that a bee couldn't fly - a bee flaps its wings and an aeroplane doesn't for a start! But fellow scientists started a joke whereby they pretended that he was claiming exactly that.
      Long story short - gullible people started believing that he really was saying that and before long you have creationist types saying, "Ask a scientist how a bumblebee flies - he won't be able to tell ya!"

      • GawtMilk, on 04/01/2008, -0/+4It's as simple as this. Whereas surface area of wings is expressed as width x height, or a "squared" unit, volume or weight is expressed as width x height x breadth, or a "cubic" unit.

        This is why small insects can fly, while perfectly proportionate enlargements made out of similar materials cannot when beating the wings at the same speed.

        It's quite simple, you don't need to build aircraft for a living. I'm only 17 and I understand it, so does everyone else at my school.
        • PappyPapillon, on 04/01/2008, -2/+4You may only be 17 but you're smarter than a lot of diggers who think penguins can fly.
    • DarkSamus, on 04/01/2008, -1/+5you're a prime example of how a pro can also be a n00b
    • pat25fire, on 04/01/2008, -1/+7I'd ask if you're my brother from your job description, but he has a sense of humor.
    • pnmoore, on 04/01/2008, -0/+9I have never designed aircraft but I CAN recognize an April Fools joke.
      • PappyPapillon, on 04/01/2008, -2/+1Of course it's an April Fool's joke... but look at how many diggers actually believe penguins can fly. Hell, they'll now argue that they saw 'em fly with their own eyes.
    • essjay, on 04/01/2008, -1/+1I really hope I never EVER have the misfortune to fly in a place you designed.
      • PappyPapillon, on 04/02/2008, -1/+1"I really hope I never EVER have the misfortune to fly in a place you designed."

        Architects design places. I design and build aircraft.
  • parkster2001, on 04/01/2008, -17/+11haha - they're showing it on the main BBC morning news

    In my half awake state I got quite excited and then realised it had to be an April fools day joke
  • jimmy17, on 04/01/2008, -16/+29Who doesn't believe in evolution now bitches!
    • cornswalled, on 04/01/2008, -2/+19Wasn't evolution supposed to take away a penguin's ability to fly because they swam so much?
      • weeFred, on 04/01/2008, -2/+5Only the ones that found swimming more beneficial than flying.
    • waspbr, on 04/01/2008, -9/+6you do realise this was an april fools prank, right?
      • cornswalled, on 04/01/2008, -3/+5Nope, he missed that little point.
    • jimmy17, on 04/01/2008, -1/+14Nope, seriously guys. Ive seem them. They make this noise:
      WHOOOOOOOOOSSHHHHHHHHHH!
      • Lyk4n, on 05/07/2008, -0/+1I have the cape! I make the whoosh noises!
  • Isnot, on 04/01/2008, -1/+163It's amazing how so many great things are discovered on this day of the year.
    Scientists should look into that.
    • kelly, on 04/01/2008, -4/+10"Miracles of Evolution" only happen to work on April 1st.
      • SuperMoses, on 04/01/2008, -3/+8Yes, because there is no such thing as a "miracle of evolution". If there was, then that would be an argument in favour of ID
    • dajuggernaut, on 04/01/2008, -2/+34Its the Flying Spaghetti Monster and his noodly sense of humor.
  • CraigDewe, on 04/01/2008, -10/+7Oh oh, now the reindeer have even more competition to pull Santa's sleigh. Call the Union Reps!
  • bibliophile4jc, on 04/01/2008, -9/+6Hilarious! Good one!
    • frankyg11, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2It wasn't as good as being rick rolled.
  • DevinOlsen, on 04/01/2008, -4/+13http://aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com/2008.html
    Currently 13th on the list.
  • mwrl, on 04/01/2008, -5/+12Oh british humor on Apirl first.
  • synack, on 04/01/2008, -5/+12Is it hunting season yet?
    • groverblue, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1zing!
    • inigomntoya, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Just don't shoot directly up. The results could be catastrophic...
    • cawpin, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Just be sure to use lead-free shot. They are water fowl you know.
    • MrTea, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1WABBIT SEASON
  • kelly, on 04/01/2008, -10/+13"Miracles of Evolution" only happen to work on April 1st.

    Very telling.
    • SuperMoses, on 04/01/2008, -1/+9Yes, because there's nothing miraculous about evolution. It is just the way things are.. no divine intervention.
    • Spottswood, on 04/01/2008, -1/+3Actually you got it wrong
      It's miracles in general that only happen on april fools day
    • MaynardsTool, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Proper grammar... now that would take a miracle... like an education.
  • Bluemotion, on 04/01/2008, -2/+9I suppose Pigs would be too obvious.
    it would be brill if the bbc actually aired this, i'll keep an eye out this evening
  • DeFex, on 04/01/2008, -6/+6Impossible! the laws of physics say penguins and bumblebees cant fly.
  • GarciasCheese, on 04/01/2008, -5/+52Damn it! I told myself this would be the year I wouldn't get sucked into an April Fool's joke on the web. For the first ten seconds I was amazed. Kindly digg me down for being a complete sucker!
  • java81, on 04/01/2008, -1/+3Damn, I was really excited.
    • ZenMojo, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2I shouldn't even go on Digg until April 2nd, should I?
    • TheMadPoet, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2I read about people like you... damn penguaphiles! Always creeping around the arctic exhibits at the zoo. Be normaler, go see the bonobos on youtube for your thrills.
  • RSMiller, on 04/01/2008, -8/+4HA HA April Fools
  • aashay, on 04/01/2008, -2/+2Almost believed it till I saw the pictures. I was expecting larger wings or something. Good one though
  • akiramedia, on 04/01/2008, -1/+25Dugg for not being Rick Roll'd when I clicked on the video link.
    • nekochan, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2yeah, that's all of youtube.
    • waspbr, on 04/01/2008, -1/+1you wouldn;t believe the outrageous prank some kid pulled on isonhunt.com...
  • BigFloppy, on 04/01/2008, -0/+6Hah, brilliantly done. My favourite of all the things i've seen so far this day...
  • PabloIV, on 04/01/2008, -1/+45The production value on this video is pretty darn good.
    Good to see the BBC is willing to spend some money on its sense of humour.
  • serg, on 04/01/2008, -0/+6http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdiDz_qrjX0
    for those of you outside the the UK that can't see the amazing footage from the BBC website
  • Cowboy1015, on 04/01/2008, -6/+1This is hot... http://www.youtube.com/watch?carla_bruni=hot_and_s ...
    • KaiUno, on 04/01/2008, -0/+4Meh. After the Youtube April 1st prank, I think we can put this one to rest. It's been (over) done.
  • mafus07, on 04/01/2008, -6/+0amazing view. how can that happen?
    • nekochan, on 04/01/2008, -0/+6well, first you need an animator and a render farm who love each other very much...
  • wexmajor, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Sounds familiar.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pebble_and_the_Pe ...
  • INDOAZZ, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Surfs Ups Dude!!
  • psychotron, on 04/01/2008, -13/+8I ***** hate April Fool's day. This stupid ***** day needs to be done away with...
    • rossisdead, on 04/01/2008, -0/+13Aw, who pissed in your coffee this morning?
      • inigomntoya, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2Pfft - pissing in someone's coffee is such a lame joke. someone likely filled his cubicle with Styrofoam peanuts... At least that is what I would do if i worked with that wanker!
      • psychotron, on 04/01/2008, -1/+2True story. When I was in around 16 one of my uncles called me on April Fool's day and literally just told me my dad had been killed. Just like that, matter of factly. "A car fell on your dad at the shop and he died". Now, I know it's April Fool's and all, but when you hear something like that it's hard to tell yourself, "oh, it's April Fool's day ha ha ha." My heart dropped, my blood pressure dropped and I was about to burst into tears until of course, the ***** tells me "April Fool's". Yeah, lovely day. I know, I know, probably lame excuse but it did sour me on the day. Now on the age of the internet, most of the April Fool's gags are just lame and a waste of time. It's hard to go to any website and try to separate the crap from the real stuff. So there. I stand by my comment that this day needs to be done away with.
        • LokitheComplex, on 04/01/2008, -0/+3Don't worry psychotron next year's April Fool's day has been cancelled. Seriously.
    • Baku, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2@ Psychotron - you can blame the French for that dude. "Poisson d'Avril"
  • theghoul, on 04/01/2008, -0/+6Good one, almost had me..ok, it did have me.
  • SuperMoses, on 04/01/2008, -0/+4That was epic
    • inigomntoya, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Yes WAS - until penguins decided to return to the waters millions of years ago...
  • Skull0Inc, on 04/01/2008, -9/+2this *IS* a joke right? the wing support area of a penguin is not big enough to generate substantial lift for the birds body mass.
    • Manguskahn, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Look at the date, then smack yourself on the forehead for effect.
  • Jondi10, on 04/01/2008, -0/+4Damn! Now I have to do all things I said I'd do when penguins learn to fly..I knew I should have gone with pigs.
  • dsenman, on 04/01/2008, -8/+2never seen "programme" before - no wonder English is such a bitch to learn.
    • northernmunky, on 04/01/2008, -2/+5If you're not a native speaker then I'm sorry you were forced to learn sullied American.
      ... oh and 'gotten' is not a word at all.
  • nonrate, on 04/01/2008, -9/+2This looks fake to me... just saying what it looks like.
  • chrisaug18, on 04/01/2008, -4/+1Where the hells the bury button gone?
  • mobhit101, on 04/01/2008, -0/+3damn! this one had me for a couple of minutes. Best one yet!
  • Spartandog, on 04/01/2008, -0/+3My favorite prank today! Well done too.
  • creationism, on 04/01/2008, -4/+1That's how powerful God's word is: He told them fly and they started flying.
    • Unriggable, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1"God's Word" was nothing more than a way for the powerful to get the lower class to submit to them.
  • vuseless, on 04/01/2008, -1/+3"RABBIT season"
    "DUCK season"
    "PENGUIN season!"
  • Sterango, on 04/01/2008, -0/+3BUT MOMMMMMMMM!! I saw it on a video on the net!!!
  • jokeoftheday, on 04/01/2008, -5/+1haha, good photoshop job, really, but an interesting concept... I cant imagine dodging their flying terds...
  • LJRod82, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Also, I hear they multiply when you throw water on them.
  • path317, on 04/01/2008, -3/+0haha hell yeah april fools.
  • Braindead360, on 04/01/2008, -0/+4That was great! I was almost convinced at first, but then I realized it was a joke. Hats of to the British.
  • cyclades, on 04/01/2008, -2/+1rofl! Awesome april fools!
  • jjustice, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1They can dance, too.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LBqwmDj13Q
    (Believe it or not, *not* a rickroll. But feel free to play it safe ;-))
  • ntacsback, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2I saw this video right next to the one about monkeys flying out of butts.
  • Clark1984, on 04/01/2008, -2/+2I hate April Fool's Day.
  • EvilLobster, on 04/01/2008, -0/+1Well Played Brits, you had me for a second.
  • BohicaTwentyTwo, on 04/01/2008, -3/+3Sounds like intelligent design to me.
  • brandonchicago, on 04/01/2008, -0/+2Hey, there were pics. It happened!

    ;p
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