Surely a Darwin Award winner....!

[chiltonstar]

Has to be read to be believed. At least he didn't get to prove the Earth was flat....

Chris

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51602655

[Stu]

Sad, but yes I think that qualifies for a Darwin award.... 😱😱

[Mr Spock]

He didn't prove the Earth was flat, but, he did prove the existence of gravity...

[Ouroboros]

I’m puzzled by the idea that someone with the imagination, engineering abilities and determination to build a rocket can seriously believe the Earth is flat. Had he put a fraction of that effort into studying the evidence he should surely have been able to satisfy himself that the Earth is spherical. 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Unbelievable, he said he wanted to reach 40,000 feet, why didn't he take a plane, maybe not quite 40,000 but would have been close.

Steve

 

[Mr Spock]

If you read previous articles on him you'll see he didn't believe in science either. He believed the science behind rocket propulsion was fake.

 "I don't believe in science," Hughes added. "I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air, about the certain size of rocket nozzles, and thrust. But that's not science, that's just a formula. There's no difference between science and science fiction."

[chiltonstar]

Just as well he didn't prove the Earth was flat though, as our EQ mounts would clearly have stopped working!

Chris

[cotterless45]

Anyone believing that the Earth is flat ,would do no better than visit the Isle of Wight !

old Nick.

[DaveL59]

10 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Unbelievable, he said he wanted to reach 40,000 feet, why didn't he take a plane, maybe not quite 40,000 but would have been close.

Steve

 

ah but he'd still have probably said it's flat and that it was just the distance that made it look curved, a trick of the eye and all that. Sounds like he/they got their "formula" very wrong tho if the chute opened while it was launching.

[Gina]

He had it right on the previous attempt so I guess it was an equipment failure.  Unless he changed something.  Guess we will never know.

[chiltonstar]

9 minutes ago, Gina said:

He had it right on the previous attempt so I guess it was an equipment failure.  Unless he changed something.  Guess we will never know.

One account indicated that the parachute system opened too soon......

Chris

[Frank the Troll]

8 minutes ago, chiltonstar said:

One account indicated that the parachute system opened too soon......

Chris

Thats clearly shown on the video

[vlaiv]

Not sure about Darwin award however, man was 64, so I doubt that genes were taken out of the pool before the chance to reproduce.

[Peter Drew]

At least it will put off anyone else going for the "Award" this year, no competition.    😀

[Craney]

"Mad" Mike Hughes   .......  not a particularly good moniker if you are trying to convince people that an established 'world' view is incorrect........ 

but right on the button when considering his methodology in doing so.

Ironically , the news of his passing will be beamed all around the Earth.

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Craney

[Ags]

4 hours ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Unbelievable, he said he wanted to reach 40,000 feet, why didn't he take a plane, maybe not quite 40,000 but would have been close.

Steve

 

Because airliners have trick windows that make the horizon look curved. Or so I am told on the twitterfacenet.

[Andy R]

Whatever his belief was, does this tragic death really warrant such satirical ridicule  from members and moderators. 

If so, please remove my account as I’m not sure I want to be part of this group anymore   

 

[Adam J]

He does not qualify anyway, you only qualify for the Darwin Award if you have not already reproduced and hence failed to onward propagated your DNA.

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Adam J

[don4l]

19 minutes ago, Andy R said:

Whatever his belief was, does this tragic death really warrant such satirical ridicule  from members and moderators. 

If so, please remove my account as I’m not sure I want to be part of this group anymore   

 

I have to say that I am also surprised at the reactions.

The Royal Society's motto is "Nullius in Verba".  This guy was just trying to investigate for himself.

Even if I think that he was wrong, he actually built a rocket.  We need far more people like him.

[maw lod qan]

Flat Earth? Steam powered rocket?

Lots of things I can think of saying, but in respect for the deceased, I'll just say, wow!

[Gina]

We know Flat Earth is a fallacy but he did build a steam powered rocket powerful enough to carry a person.  That's pretty darned clever.  Hats off to him.  Shame he had to die in his attempt!!

[chiltonstar]

It is the combination of Flat Earther and steam rocket that amazes me - very much in the Victorian or Edwardian tradition. I am thinking of "Those magnificent men....". Why didn't he use a hot air balloon - I am sure the curvature of the Earth was obvious last time I went up in one, and no windows to curve reality.

Chris

[Ruud]

I feel bitter about this.

Is there no limit to these people's stupidity?

[Gina]

Most experimenters have been called stupid at the time but without them many things would not have been invented or discovered.

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I feel there's a place for us mad scientists/engineers!

Edited February 23, 2020 by Gina

[teoria_del_big_bang]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

Most experimenters have been called stupid at the time but without them many things would not have been invented or discovered.

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I feel there's a place for us mad scientists/engineers!

Absolutely !

Steve