Soaring the Skies: Superman and the Science of Flight
imprint capstone DC a PRESS SCIENCE soaring the skies Superman and the Science of flight by CAPSTONE Tammy Enz SUPERMAN Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster by special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel family
INTRODUCTION UP UP AND AWAY With an effortless leap Superman bounds into the air No wings No engines No special gear or gadgets Just a cape and his unique ability to defy the scientific laws that keep us grounded Imagine what it would be like to have his power of flight Where would you go What would you see For thousands of years flight really was something people could only dream about But these days soaring the skies is not limited to super heroes While we lack the Man of Steel’s superpowers the ability to fly is well within our grasp In fact we often take it for granted Almost anywhere on this planet is just a plane ride away But have you ever stopped to think about what makes flight possible For instance how does a hang glider stay aloft with no engine to power it Or what helps a massive jumbo jet get off the ground The answers are simple science engineering and a little inspiration from nature From wingsuits and fighter jets to flying fish and stealth aircraft get ready to explore the incredible world of flight 44
FACT When Superman first appeared in comics in 1938 he could leap great distances and over tall buildings It wasn’t until the early 1940s that he was shown to actually fly 55
