what makes superman fly?

Question

Superman is just an alien and he can't fly without the aid of someyhing...........

Answer 1

Originally, he didn't fly at all... he was just someone with powerful leg muscles that allowed him to jump 1/8 of a mile. They turned his jumping into flying for the 1940s cartoons to achieve a smoother (and cheaper) animation.

Later comics tried to explain his flying as a result of Krypton's heavy gravity -- that is, Superman can fly because his body is designed for a heavier gravity, like the astronauts who could jump higher on the moon (which has 1/6 the gravity of Earth). But that explanation doesn't really make sense when you think about it -- a person in a lighter gravity field will jump higher, sure, but they're still bound by the laws of physics; ie, what goes up must come down. They can't change direction in midair, or speed up and slow down, or climb higher than the maximum arc of their jump -- but Superman regularly does all this and more at supersonic speeds.

Jets can fly because of the way they're built and because they spew out air and ignited jet fuel to propel themselves forward, but Superman (unless you're in the mood for a joke about eating too many beans) isn't built this way.

The only way to explain it is: There is no explanation. It's one of those miraculous things heroes do that we're supposed to not think about and instead just enjoy a good story.

Just my two cents,
M.

Answer 2

This has never been satisfactorily explained. The general explanation is that the gravity of Krypton was so much greater than that of Earth (Krypton must have almost been a neutron star) that the people there had developed an ability to counteract the gravity. They weight hundreds of thousands of tons on Krypton (coincidentally, the same amount that Superman can lift on Earth.)

On Earth, he not only is much stronger than anybody else, because his muscles are evolved for Krypton’s gravity, he is also absorbing solar energy so much more than was available on Krypton that he is able to offset or counteract Earth’s gravity to the point where he can actually defy it.

So, it seems that Superman’s flight is reactionless (he isn’t shooting out a jet exhaust anywhere) and probably psionic. Note that I did not say a mutant ability! Just psionic. It is my speculation that if he knew how he did it, he might be able to teach others.

18 MAR 07, 2302 hrs, GMT.

Answer 3

A. when created he simply leaped very far, over time artists and writers had him leaping farther and farther until eventually he was flying.

B. the source of all of his powers is attributed to either: The yellow sun of our solar system, the decreased relative gravity of Earth to Krypton or Both.

C. Nat'l Geographic Channel had a special profiling his powers when 'Superman Returns' was in theatres. In it, one of their experts postulated about a theoretical substance called 'Gravitons' which some think is the true source of gravity not simply an object's mass. and he theorized that if they existed and one could generate them it would free a person/object from the power of gravity.

Answer 4

Burritos

Answer 5

The imagination of the creator of Superman.

Answer 6

They say that he flies by manipulating gravitational waves but then again the planet he comes from has a greater gravity so he must be jumping really far rather than really flying....you never know. :)

Answer 7

1. Really strong wind currents
2. Eating shrimp cocktail kept too long under the heat lamp
3. PCP
4. More PCP

Answer 8

He was an Alien so of course he could fly.

Answer 9

super man is created from a planet out of earth so he has like alein powers to fly .... exc but his father tought him everything but its still an imganation...

Answer 10

he's from a planet with a much higher gravitational force and so he's really not flying....but jumping with style.