• Question: Is it possible to grow wings?

    Asked by Cheesers77 to Áine, Ciarán, Eoin, Lydia, Victoria on 20 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Lydia Bach

      Lydia Bach answered on 20 Nov 2014:

      Hello Cheesers77!

      Yes it is possible to grow wings…but not for humans I’m afraid!

      Wings have evolved separately many times in animals – in insects, in birds and in bats. Some dinosaurs, the ancestors of birds also had huge wings! There are even flying fish!

      For wings to evolve in animals there needs to be a strong advantage of flying to the animal. For example, to quickly get away from specific predators, to be light and agile.

      In birds and bats the wings have developed by the elongation of their fingers and the extension of the skin surrounding them. This has taken millions of years, so there’s not much chance of us getting our own real wings soon.

      This man may have come up with a much cooler set of wings though? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2sT9KoII_M

      What do you think?!

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