Vaughn Klingenberg, age 10, of St. Paul, Minnesota, for his question:

Why can't penguins fly?

Nature provides each bird with what he needs to travel where he needs to go. Most birds have flying wings because they need to travel from here to there by air. But the wild winds and buffeting gales in some regions make it impossible for birds to fly and even blow mighty planes off course. Birds that live in such a climate, cannot take to the air. and do not need wings to fly. Most penguins live in south polar regions where fierce gales and blizzards make flying difficult and almost impossible,

The penguin's small, flapper shaped wings are covered with furry feathers. They are too weak for flying, but very useful in other ways. He waves them to keep his balance as he walks with dignity to greet a friend. He flaps them to help him to slide and toboggan merrily over the ice. And they are most useful in the water. He flaps them like flippers to plunge in and keep going. You might say that the penguin uses his wings to fly under water.