Birds and a dumb question about flying

originally posted by: dug88
a reply to: Purpapengus

The entire body structure of birds is different than mammals. Their bones are light and hollow

Bones are hollow but not light. Bird bones are heavier than animals of similar size.

originally posted by: Purpapengus
The actual thing: birds did not "start" as flying creatures, yes? Then what conditions allow a creature to go from ground dwelling to air dwelling?

I can understand that a feathered creature uses those feathers for a "speed boost" and further success leads to "improvements" on the idea but is their a specie specific starting point for it?

I would assume it starts with falling. Beings that randomly formed bird traits like hollow bones or feathers would survive falling from greater heights, and outlive beings that fall to death. The next natural step would be gliding, because spreading limbs would potentially slow the fall even further, so creatures with more feathers or membranes between limbs would be favored by natural selection. For gliding it would make sense to try to extend the time in air, so at some point creatures with even more useful traits would start flapping the limbs to prolong the flight.

originally posted by: Purpapengus
Can humans gain the gift do flight through multi-generational selective breeding or is it not possible for ma ape to turn bird? Are certain strains of animals locked into certain evolutionary trees?

We are kind of locked in, because we already went a certain path that gave us advantage over other species and wings would not benefit us that much. The only way for us to evolve into flying creatures would be a completely new environment in which the advantage of flying would outweigh all our current advantages, which is highly unlikely.

I don't think the question is dumb.