Welcome to another bonus episode of Calm History, an extra treat for my Soak Plus members.

This is the history of winged flight. If you want to hear the history of balloon flight, then listen to bonus episode number 61.

Now in this episode, I'll explain how animals developed wings to fly over the past 400 million years.

And then I'll explain how humans developed wings to fly over the past 2,000 years.

This episode will conclude in 1903 AD.

Yeah, that's the year the Wright brothers made aviation history. And then, in the next

bonus episode, you'll hear the full story of these two famous brothers. But for now, lean back,

put up your feet, and allow some calm history to distract and relax your overactive brain squirrels.

Origins of Winged Flight, the first flying beasts, blokes, and brothers.

The origins of flight didn't begin with the right brothers, or balloons, bats, birds, or big dinosaurs.

The origins of flight started with bugs.

Well, technically, insects is the proper word.

True bugs came a bit later.

About 300 to 400 million years ago, some insects evolved special body parts into wings.

Yeah, for flying.

Unlike the wings of birds or bats, insect wings are not modified limbs.

Rather, they're modified parts of their thorax.

This is the region between their head and their abdomen or back end.

Initially, these parts on their thorax were probably used to help them glide through the air,

like when they fell out of a tree.

Some scientists believe that these parts may have also served as flat solar panels to help the insects absorb heat.

Either way, with a boost of some beneficial mutations and lots of time,

...