Pterrific Pterosaurs, Ptitans Of Pthermals

[molly bloom]

Flying reptiles just got bigger

By Jonathan Amos

BBC News science reporter, Dublin

Scientists think pterosaurs could inform modern aircraft design

Scientists are only now starting to recognise the astonishing size reached by pterosaurs, the flying reptiles that lived at the time of the dinosaurs.

New discoveries in the Americas suggest some had wingspans of 18m (60ft).

But there was nothing ugly about the way they moved through the air, according to expert Dr David Martill, of the University of Portsmouth.

Their ability to utilise air currents, thermals and ground effects would astonish aeroplane designers, he said.

"Pterosaurs were beautifully engineered," he told BBC News.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4223658.stm

They may have been beautifully engineered, but they wouldn't necessarily have won any prehistoric beauty contests:

[Last Conformist]

18m? That's big.

[Spiffor]

I wouldn't want to cross such a thing.

[laurentius]

And as always with these "reconstructions" the colours are entirely products of imagination. Quite a monster anyway.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by laurentius
And as always with these "reconstructions" the colours are entirely products of imagination. Quite a monster anyway.

I think the artist was a fan of Guinness:

[Immortal Wombat]

[BeBMan]

To the first pic - wouldn't it a better sign for beautiful engineering if those teeth were inside his jaw? I mean where the food is when he eats it?

No wonder they died out, because of hunger I guess.

[chequita guevara]

Those teeth were for snagging prey, not chewing.

[BeBMan]

Bah, I still think my theory's right.

[Urban Ranger]

That maw looks a bit like a croc's.

Crocs don't chew, either, they grab a big bite, than spin around in water to rip the flesh off.

I don't know if these beasties did the same thing. They don't seem like built for that sort of thing, though.

[DaShi]

I agree with Che. They're probably used to grab fish along the surface of water.

I can't remember which documentary it was, but there was a group of scientists trying to make a model of a pterosaur in order to simulate its method of flying. I think it was a David Attenborough doc.

[Addled Platypus]

just like a stainer

water leaks out...walla- - nothing but fish

[Sava]

"Pterosaurs were beautifully engineered,"

ZOMFG INTELLIGENT DESIGN!!@!@!@!1111

I KNEW IT!

[Mercator]