Why Protective Cages On Plane Engines Won't Work

The fact that birds can actually bring down a huge plane has some of you asking questions.

Marianne from carver posted this one on our Curiosity Web site:

"Why can't a cage be placed on the front of engine intakes on planes?"

An expert at Boston University says that just wouldn't work.

The birds, or any object, would move with such velocity that a structure with openings wouldn't stop them.

And you can't put something solid in front of the engines because that would block the air flow needed to operate the motors.