NYT Said Flying Machines Would Take "10 Million Years To Develop"
These fools flew 69 days later:
STAY “FOOLISH”
#technology
The Times published an editorial article on Oct. 9, 1903, with the headline, "Flying Machines Which Do Not Fly." The editorial was published two days after aviation pioneer Samuel P. Langley failed to launch his own airplane on Oct. 7, 1903.
"The machine does only what it must do in obedience to natural laws acting on passive matter. Hence, if it requires, say, a thousand years to fit for easy flight a bird which started with rudimentary wings, or ten thousand for one which started with no wings at all and had to sprout them ab initio, it might be assumed that the flying machine which will really fly might be evolved by the combined and continuous efforts of mathematicians and mechanicians in from one million to ten million years — provided, of course, we can meanwhile eliminate such little drawbacks and embarrassments as the existing relation between weight and strength in inorganic materials. No doubt the problem has attractions for those it interests, but to the ordinary man it would seem as if effort might be employed more profitably".
The Wright brothers took flight on Dec. 17, 1903, 69 days later.
STAY “FOOLISH” MY FRIENDS!
Sadly, Greta was not yet available to shout "how dare you" and shriek about the internal combustion engine for the profit of her family's paymasters.
Thank the Heavens these bozos are still around to tell us how it is and will be.