Re:How do cats survive falls from great heights?
by maeon3 on Sunday March 25, 2012 @04:42PM
(#3753757)
If you drop an ant or a pea sized model car off a building it won't even suffer any damage hitting the ground, if you throw an elephant or a full sized train off a building, it will be pancaked or explode into pieces.
The strength of a bone increases with its circumference, but its mass increases with its volume. The volume increases incur expenses in inertia far more quickly than circumference incurs gains in strength.
Re:How do cats survive falls from great heights?
by smackay on Sunday March 25, 2012 @04:53PM
(#3753786)
The following description (from a BBC documentary I think but I can't find the source) sums it nicely: If you dropped a mouse down a mineshaft it would bounce then scuttle away into the darkness, a man would be killed and a horse would splash.
http://www.radiolab.org/2010/sep/20/
Here's their synopsis: There are so many ways to fall—in love, asleep, even flat on your face. This hour, Radiolab dives into stories of great falls.
We jump into a black hole, take a trip over Niagara Falls, upend some myths about falling cats, and plunge into our favorite songs about falling.
Such a great episode, and great show - I recommend both to everyone.
The strength of a bone increases with its circumference, but its mass increases with its volume. The volume increases incur expenses in inertia far more quickly than circumference incurs gains in strength.