The Impossible Anatomy of Godzilla

Once again, we have a scientific look at a fantasy that explains the utter impossibility of one of our pop culture icons. Godzilla in his 2014 incarnation is the biggest monster we’ve seen yet, which breaks the laws of biology and physics.

Since his first awakening, the radioactive, fire-spewing kaiju has grown 200 feet and put on more than 150,000 tons. Godzilla is now 30 stories tall and weighs as much as a cruise ship. No actual animal could take the pressure of being so massive: It would overheat, its organs would implode, and it would need to mainline butter to get enough calories. For fun, we surveyed scientists to help us break down the beast's biology. If Godzilla were real, he would be an incredible specimen.

Read the nuts and bolts of the Godzilla analysis at Popular Mechanics. -via Laughing Squid

(Image credit: Stephanie Godot/Andrew Rae)