The physics behind flying sharks who can destroy airplanes

First, we take it for granted that, with the possible exceptions of Chinatown, Top Hat, and the upcoming A-Team movie (see David's preview) Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus is the greatest movie of all time. I've written about it in Brief notes on taste and entertainment: A shark, an octopus, Celine Dion, and Batman. Second, we consider the greatest scene ever in the greatest movie of all time. Yes, you've seen it already and don't forget that the key line of dialogue is NSFW, but it's worth another 68 seconds of your time: Third, we need to be scientists about this. Could a shark (a) grow large enough to destroy a plane, and (b) generate enough power to fly in the air and reach that plane? Fortunately, the Interweb has someone who can explain all that for us. The greatest infographic of all time, one that both Edward Tufte and Nancy Duarte would have killed to create, is after the jump. You're welcome. (awesome infographic by Stephen Taubman, who also has answered some important questions regarding Aliens vs. Predator.)

• [wgmleslie]

  Watching this clip, I have come to the realization that Western Civilization has reached its peak. It’s all downhill from here, folks.

• [Anonymous]

  Someone should try to find out how big the waves would be when it falls back into the ocean. Creatures like this might be triggering tsunamis!

• [spocko]

  I do think that this might be one of the greatest movie clips of all time. This is on my Netflix instant watch list!

• [kingzilch]

  In Soviet Union, shark jumps you!

• [Anonymous]

  Hey, Megashark is just trying to maintain the level of awesome required to keep up with costars Lorenzo Lamas and Debbie Gibson.

• [godisafiction]

  I fear they’ve really jumped the shark with this one

• [Boondocker]

  People, tragedies like this are just going to keep on happening unless we stop overfishing the megashark’s natural prey, megatuna.

• [nanuq]

  Some airborne threats are scarier than others…

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sKGz-hQ0yg

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    I knew exactly what that was going to be even before I clicked it.

• [padzilla]

  Wouldn’t it burn up, in re-entry?

• [jimh]

  c) Will a boy ever be born that can swim faster than a shark?

• [Chris Tucker]

  Chuck Norris does not fear MegaShark, although, he does RESPECT MegaShark.

  MegaShark neither fears nor respects Chuck Norris.

  No comment re: Chuck Norris from Giant Octopus.

• [IPFREELY]

  Mega Shark = Mhark
  Giant Octopus = Goctopus

• [Anonymous]

  If you dropped an airliner from that height it was smash to smithereens on impact with the water. So would the shark.

• [Snig]

  Maybe our scale is off. It could have been a plane populated by Homo floresiensis (the hobbits). If they were half sized and flying low altitude (to avoid the big people’s airspace), they could have fallen prey to a normal sized household megalodon. Since we don’t catch megalodon regularly, we can not exclude airborne hobbits as a staple of their diets.

• [VICTOR JIMENEZ]

  Quoting the bearded actor: HOLY SHIT!

• [PKjim]

  Okay, so… 747 moving at about 0.25 km/s. (Specs on cruising speed from Boeing.)

  Shark spots target when shark or plane is 10 km from launch site? If it’s the plane that’s 10 km out, that gives the shark 20s to determine a firing solution (assuming course corrections are impossible after descent below about 10m), complete its pre-launch maneuver and accelerate to launch velocity (although a high enough initial velocity could reduce the needed acceleration considerably – no specs available on shark cruising speed).

  If instead the shark starts its run when *it’s* 10km from the launch site (graphic just says “it,” thus the confusion between shark and plane) calculations are harder to analyze… once again, we lack shark Vee-sub-i. But again, this thing must have a one hell of a quick nervous system – one glimpse, and it’s accomplished AEGIS-like targeting.

  Unless its electromagnetic senses are also mega-amplified, and it can continuously track the plane…

  • [Anonymous]

    “Unless its electromagnetic senses are also mega-amplified, and it can continuously track the plane…”

    Well, that would need to then assume that it can do in-flight course corrections as well, and THAT, I’m sorry to say, starts to really stretch the bounds of credulity.

• [Anonymous]

  Pretty sure the Megashark’s natural habitat is the Bermuda Triangle, which explains a lot, actually….

• [Meteornotes]

  This is indeed a classic scene from one of the greatest movies ever made.

  But it’s still not as entertaining as Shark Attack 3.

• [PaulR]

  Second-order math, from the infographic, is easy as pi. The large explosion-before-the-shark-even-touches-the-plane must the be shark-repelling device.

  Mildly amusing, worthy of Dubble Bubble’s Pud.

  The 709kph launch speed doesn’t account for friction from the air, or even how much energy would be required to move through water at that speed. That’d be a nerd-worthy, dedicated attempt at humour.

• [KremlinLaptop]

  Amazingly the megashark seems to be able to turn a Boeing 747 into some completely different aircraft once it hits the water — obviously witchcraft must be taken into consideration when dealing with megasharks.

  (I might be mistaken on that, but it does look like a completely different two engine airliner once it’s in the water.)

  • [sendai]

    No, you’re not mistaken; though, I’m wonder if it was witchcraft that allowed someone sitting in the absolute centre of the plane to see the shark approaching from below.

• [Anonymous]

  Amusing! However since when do airplane fly below 2,000 meters in the middle of the ocean? Flying quite a lot, I am quite sure that an airplane in such a situation would be flying around 32,000 feet or about 10,000 meters. Given that what would Mega-shark escape velocity need to be to accomplish its feat?

  • [sendai]

    Wasn’t it obvious? The plane was just about to land, approaching an airport by the shore. If you’re looking at poking holes at something, at least get it right. ;)

  • [Nelson.C]

    I make it about 450 metres per second, or about Mach 1.5, ignoring air resistance. That’s a… respectable speed for a shark.

    • [spocko]

      The graphic explains that the speed needed is just below Mach 1. So there will be no sonic booms, which is a shame because I think a sonic boom accompanying the attack would be really great and a nice warning to other planes.

      • [hashad]

        You are correct, sir… the sharkic boom is a sight to behold.

        http://i.imgur.com/6P5y7.jpg

        I’m really sorry; I know I’m late to the party on this one… I just couldn’t help myself. You know that feeling that you absolutely must to do something IMMEDIATELY or face dire consequences?

• [muteboy]

  Thanks, Mega Shark.

  Thega Shark.

• [klyx]

  if run of the mill sharks could indeed fly, I would dedicate my entire existence to the defense thereof.

  or at least donate a significant portion of my paycheck to the effort.

• [merreborn]

  I absolutely adore this clip. I’m also amused by the guys behind it, “The Asylum“. They have a long list of “mockbusters” including gems like “transmorphers” and “snakes on a train”. You’ve just got to admire the balls that requires.

  As a result, I attempted to watch the film, as it’s available via netflix’s streaming service

  I really wanted to enjoy it. I even gave Transmorphers a shot. But these are not movies that are so-bad-they’re-good. No, they’re so bad, they’re friggin unwatchable.

  There are only 60 seconds of this film worth seeing, and you just saw all of it.

• [Junglemonkey]

  I have long warned people of the existence of skysharks, only to be pooh-poohed by the establishment (in the person of my husband, who is otherwise a very reasonable person). I think that, with this as proof, I can safely say “I told you so.”

• [Anonymous]

  What amazing documentary footage!

• [alisong76]

  I’ve seen the flick – it is every bit as bad as you’d expect. If you’ve watched this clip, you’ve seen the best part. It’s not even so bad it’s good, it’s just plain bad.

• [Phikus]

  Let us not forget that Mega-shark must also possess some sort of highly attuned extra-sensory perception to be able to perceive the plane from so far below, and underwater no less, to be able to line up its trajectory and attain the right amount of velocity; no more, no less, to achieve its goal.

• [EH]

  Escape velocity? Man, we don’t need no escape velocity. Mega-shark just jumps and keeps going until he gets what he wants.