There is a principle in fluid mechanics known as a 'Reynolds number'. Which is a bit of a misnomer, because it's not one number, but a whole series of factors. Among the several uses for Reynolds numbers is to adjust wind tunnel data for scale models. This is necessary because you are putting smaller sized models up against full sized air molecules in the wind tunnel.
Now, within the past couple of years, two developments on the subject have been announced: first, several researchers have shown how they can fly. Specifically, the manner in which their wings flex help to cause an effect called 'dynamic stall', which is a state where the flapping of their wings causes an airflow separation inducing a vortex above the wing, which for short periods increases the lift of their wings to several times normal. This is also explained in Reynolds number concepts, and the researchers hypothesized that the original author did not take that into account. So they weren't using the proper numbers.
The second development was from other researchers looking for the original testing that said they could not fly. Turns out, there WASN'T ANY. *Nobody* had ever seriously tested them and worked out the math. The earliest reference is in a 1934 French book on insects, who claims that "they" have tested it and cannot show the bees fly. No word on who "they" are.
So the whole thing was the worst type of urban myth. And the math does work.
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Jeba say: It's a simple question, the bees can fly with the help of their wings.
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Honest say: With permission of the FAA.
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say: The bee flies anyway, because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. Yellow, black, yellow, black, yellow, black, yellow, black.
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wereq say: This quote, which isn't even the right one, came about before we fully understood vorticies.
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Morningfox say: That's just so wrong. You are just exactly copy and pasting some lines from the script of a movie. Can't you at least use your own words?
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