When the Wright Brothers Proved the NYtimes Wrong
Flying Machines Which Do Not Fly
In 1903 the Wright Brothers made their first flight. Only 9-weeks earlier The New York Times posited it might take between 1 and 10 million years to achieve (drawing on the theory of evolution.)
You can hear the whole article read aloud below:
In fairness, Langley's machine was a ridiculous fiasco. It wasn't going to fly until Glenn Curtiss redesigned it for him years later, as a dig and attempted legal gotcha aimed at the Wrights during their patent battle. Even then, it *barely* flew.