This week, the film Godzilla x Kong: New Empire is storming into theaters. The movie depicts Godzilla and King Kong joining forces to combat a new threat and save the world. However, if these mythical creatures were real, they would likely face their greatest enemy in physics. Journalist Tom Ward explained this in our article on Wired.
In the film, King Kong is portrayed as over 100 meters tall, weighing approximately 158 tons, while Godzilla is even larger, standing at a towering 120 meters tall and weighing 164 tons. Yet, beasts of such magnitude would struggle to support their weight and stand upright in reality. The largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, benefits from buoyancy to support its massive body. Even the largest blue whales reach lengths of about 30 meters and weigh up to 150 metric tons.
The largest ape to have walked the Earth was Gigantopithecus, which roamed ancient China millions of years ago. Resembling an orangutan, it stood at 3 meters tall. In contrast, the largest land creature resembling Godzilla would be a dinosaur, specifically a long-necked sauropod measuring less than 40 meters in length and weighing around 75 tons.
If Godzilla and King Kong were real, they would possess unique adaptations to survive. Kirsten Formoso delves into these adaptations in the article on The Conversation. Formoso, a functional morphologist, observes that King Kong likely has a strong throwing arm and powerful bite force. Godzilla could use its tail as a whip, akin to modern lizards, and its scaly skin and sharp spines for protection. The ability to breathe atomic fire, however, remains a mystery, with Formoso suggesting a diet of radioactive stones and meat could explain this unique trait.
Curious for more? Check out these related stories.
How does Godzilla produce atomic breath? Exploring the physics and biology behind this monstrous ability. (2023/10/16) Readability: 7.9
Behemoth mammals and their biological limits Examining the challenges faced by giant mammals and humans due to their size. (2022/5/17) Readability: 6.3
Unveiling myths of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster An exploration of sightings of mythical creatures through the lens of data science. (2014/2/12)
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Discover more about Gigantopithecus, a close cousin of modern orangutans. (from Science News)
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Currently, the largest land animal is the African elephant. Watch them in action on live cams from Oakland or San Diego Zoo, or check out the feed from Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa on Explor.org!
Source: www.snexplores.org
