# Who cares to debate the events of 9/11/2001 based upon the laws of physics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861 "2017-10-14T21:40:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/201 "2017-10-15T13:22:53Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > But the Empire State building is still standing. Explain that. State of the art inflatable. They didn’t have holograms in those days. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/202 "2017-10-15T14:04:06Z")
Come down to it, who you gonna believe? **Jay Jay** , or your lying eyes? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/203 "2017-10-15T14:30:10Z")
> [@Jay\_Jay](#): > > again you are focusing on speculation rather than dealing with the data at hand. Irony, meet Jay\_Jay. Jay\_Jay, irony. But you doesn’t have to call him Mr. Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/204 "2017-10-15T14:30:32Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Come down to it, who you gonna believe? **Jay Jay** , or your lying eyes? If he can rigorously prove mathematically that it is physically impossible for an airliner to have penetrated the WTC, I’ll believe him. I’m not exactly waiting with bated breath though since I don’t think he will be able to do so. In fact, I’ll go so far as to predict that he either refuses to do so or responds with: 1. Some form of statement that I should do my own research, 2. A link to a 9/11 truther website or YouTube that “proves” it; or, 3. Shows a non-mathematical, i.e. verbal, “proof” probably by deduction with an outside chance of induction. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/205 "2017-10-15T14:38:49Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Could you do me a favor and describe how you think a commercial jet airliner hitting a skyscraper built like the WTC towers _should_ look, and what evidence you’re basing that on? My thoughts exactly. Was the plane supposed to bounce off? Splat on the glass like a giant tomato? The plane that hit the empire state building weighed 5% as much and still went through “like a knife through butter”. Boy the conspiracy goes back far! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/206 "2017-10-15T14:42:31Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Do you know that several members of [International Skeptics](http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/) (back when they were part of JREF) successfully joined AE911Truth with fictitious names and credentials? In addition, one member of that group has done several breakdowns of the AE911T roster, (which was already notoriously bloated with irrelevant engineering degrees) and found they were really quite thin in the relevant departments. > **[International Skeptics Forum](https://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194486&highlight=AE911T%2Broster&page=2)** > > Join the International Skeptics Forum to discuss and promote critical thinking across the planet. Its over several posts so be warned. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/207 "2017-10-15T14:44:25Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > My thoughts exactly. > Was the plane supposed to bounce off? Splat on the glass like a giant tomato? > > The plane that hit the empire state building weighed 5% as much and still went through “like a knife through butter”. Boy the conspiracy goes back far! Maybe the WTC had magnetoplasma shielding? The link by the way is a somewhat scientific explanation for how deflectors shields in Star Trek could maybe work in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/208 "2017-10-15T14:53:12Z")
A marshmallow will punch through a steel plate if you shoot it fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/209 "2017-10-15T14:57:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > A marshmallow will punch through a steel plate if you shoot it fast enough. You forgot the magic words: “like a hot knife through butter”. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/210 "2017-10-15T14:57:55Z")
Did you know that Seth McFarlane was supposed to be on one of the planes, but missed his flight? People, this conspiracy is so deep, even Family Guy is involved! Seriously, OP, what became of the airliners that took off and never returned? What became of those passengers? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/211 "2017-10-15T15:09:27Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Did you know that Seth McFarlane was supposed to be on one of the planes, but missed his flight? > > People, this conspiracy is so deep, even Family Guy is involved! > > Seriously, OP, what became of the airliners that took off and never returned? What became of those passengers? VicSims, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/212 "2017-10-15T15:10:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > A marshmallow will punch through a steel plate if you shoot it fast enough. [Ping pong ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc-zmb3jAgo) through paddle. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/213 "2017-10-15T15:20:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Ping pong ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc-zmb3jAgo) through paddle. If I follow the OP’s argument (and I probably don’t), is he saying that the plane should have disintegrated on impact, and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of breaching the wall? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/214 "2017-10-15T15:30:26Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > If I follow the OP’s argument (and I probably don’t), is he saying that the **plane should have disintegrated on impact** , and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of breaching the wall? That’s the impression I got. I also got the impression that he thought all the mass of the plane would miraculously have no effect. But who knows? He claims the planes never existed, the TV coverage is faked and there were no live witnesses on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/215 "2017-10-15T15:34:22Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > If I follow the OP’s argument (and I probably don’t), is he saying that the plane should have disintegrated on impact, and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of breaching the wall? He’s saying it was an inside job. An illusion. A hoax. You’ve all been lied to. Wake up sheeple!!! \…am I hot, or is it crazy in here?? ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Jay\_Jay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Jay)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/216 "2017-10-15T15:44:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > He’s saying it was an inside job. An illusion. A hoax. You’ve all been lied to. Wake up sheeple!!! > > \…am I hot, or is it crazy in here?? " plane should have disintegrated on impact, and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of breaching the wall" Please think about this, if there was sufficient time to breach the wall, there was sufficient time to do serious damage to the airliner. Also may I suggest you read what the late Dr. Carl Sagan had to say about the big bamboozle … interesting stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Jay\_Jay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Jay)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/217 "2017-10-15T15:47:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Ping pong ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc-zmb3jAgo) through paddle. Ping Pong balls do not have wings and are not 178 ft long some things are like the “apples/oranges” comparison … ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/218 "2017-10-15T15:50:50Z")
> [@Jay\_Jay](#): > > " plane should have disintegrated on impact, and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of breaching the wall" > > Please think about this, if there was sufficient time to breach the wall, there was sufficient time to do serious damage to the airliner. > > Also may I suggest you read what the late Dr. Carl Sagan had to say about the big bamboozle … interesting stuff. "“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” - Carl Sagan Do you mean this quote? If you mean that quote, you REALLY ought to read the book he wrote it in because he is addressing you and people like you that have gone down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. > **[The Demon-Haunted World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World)** > > The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark is a 1995 book by the astrophysicist Carl Sagan. (Four of the 25 chapters were written with Ann Druyan).: x  In it, Sagan aims to explain the scientific method to laypeople and to encourage people to learn critical and skeptical thinking. He explains methods to help distinguish between ideas that are considered valid science and those that can be considered pseudoscience. Sagan states that when new ideas are offered for consideration, th Also, no math huh? I’m shocked (not really) and disappointed (also not really). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/219 "2017-10-15T15:51:08Z")
> [@Jay\_Jay](#): > > " plane should have disintegrated on impact, and in the tenths of seconds between the time the nose of the plane touched the building and when the wings reached the building, the plane should have splintered instead of **breaching the wall"** > > Please think about this, if there was sufficient time to breach the wall, there was sufficient time to do serious damage to the airliner. > > Also may I suggest you read what the late Dr. Carl Sagan had to say about the big bamboozle … interesting stuff. No wall, glass. Fragile stuff that is. Nice job linking to [the Sagan quote.](http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/12/19/carl-sagans-two-warnings-for-humanity-in-his-very-last-interview-you-might-want-to-hear-this/) > [@](#): > > “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” – Carl Sagan So which way is the bamboozle going? [Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/arthurccl101182.html)-“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” We do not have sufficiently advanced technology to fake something like this. And if you’re going to claim we do, you have to come up with physical evidence, not people speaking on Youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861/220 "2017-10-15T15:56:52Z")
> [@Jay\_Jay](#): > > Ping Pong balls do not have wings and are not 178 ft long > some things are like the “apples/oranges” comparison … If I fire an Apple at you at 550 mph along with an Orange at the same speed you probably not going to notice a huge diffference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cares-to-debate-the-events-of-9-11-2001-based-upon-the-laws-of-physics/798861.md?page=12)