Four physics students from Leicester University stated that if Batman wanted to fly the way he did using the cape from the 2005 film "Batman Begins," he would not survive the flight.
In the film, Batman, played by Christian Bale, wears a cape that becomes rigid when a current passes through it. This enables him to glide over Gotham City much like a base jumper would do in a wing suit.
"If Batman wanted to survive the flight, he would definitely need a bigger cape," said David Marshall, 22, one of the students in the final year of their four-year Master of Physics degree.
"Or if he preferred to keep his style intact he could opt for using active propulsion, such as jets to keep himself aloft."
In their paper entitled "Trajectory of a falling Batman," David Marshall, Tom Hands, Ian Griffiths and Gareth Douglas argued that a jump form a 150-meter (492-foot) high building would enable the 4.7 meter (15-foot) wingspan of the Caped Crusader's cape to glide for 350 meters (1,148 feet). They add however, that the hero would eventually reach 68 miles per hour before plunging to his doom at approximately 50 mph.
The paper also portrays a diagram of the trajectory of Batman's flight.
Dr Mervyn Roy, a lecturer at the University's Department of Physics and Astronomy, said: "If he had bigger wings he would be fine, like someone in a hang glider. But Batman wouldn't stand too much of a chance with wings this short due to the speeds he would be travelling at."
The study is the latest in a series of Superhero inspired physics studies. Another study by Dot Physics' Rhett Allain analyzed the physics behind the Hulk's jumps.
"The Dark Knight Rises" opens in one week on July 20 and stars Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman in supporting roles. Joining the cast are Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, Tom Hardy as Bane, Marion Cottillard as Miranda Tate and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Gotham cop John Blake. The film takes place eight years after those of "The Dark Knight", with Batman emerging from retirement to face a new threat on Gotham.
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