Strange skeleton swimming question.

JonnyBoy12 | 14:02 Fri 04th Feb 2011 | Science

28 Answers

Not sure if this is the right area, but this question has been bugging me for some time. Could a human skeleton swim in water if it were alive that is, or would it just sink to the bottom of the swimming pool? I know that they can operate swords and shields, as seen in many films, but could they swim?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Science crossword

Brian Cox - what a guy

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jomifl

Best Answer

Mammalian large bones are filled with marrow and would sink. A 'living' skeleton would need to expend a lot of energy with it's non-existent muscles just to stay off the sea bed. Bird bones on the other hand have air filled cavities so it is possible that they may be neutrally buoyant and so birds skeletons would only need relatively weak non-existent muscles...

16:47 Fri 04th Feb 2011

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redcrx

and thats exactly why i didnt know the answer too, jomifl :)

JonnyBoy12

Question Author

Glad to see you have not made any bones about my strange question, and, by the way, this was not a spoof, as did want to know the answer to this. A skeleton would not be allowed into a swimming pool, as he would have no body to go with.