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A Unified Theory of Animal Locomotion

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the how-much-wood-can-a-woodchuck-chuck dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "You probably already know that there is a master equation for all life processes based on metabolism. Now, physicists from Duke University have applied the so-called 'constructal theory' to explain how running, flying and swimming modes of locomotion are similar even if they're apparently unrelated. This single unifying physics theory explains how fast animals get from one place to another and how rapidly and forcefully they step, flap or paddle in relation to their mass. In other words, these scientists argue that the characteristics of animal shape and locomotion are predictable from physics."

4 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Swimming Fish = Flying Bird? by Ruff_ilb · · Score: 3, Informative

    As far as I'm aware, fish have gills and lay squishy (scientific term) eggs, while birds lay solid eggs and have lungs. Birds also have feathers, and I'm not aware of any feathered fish.

    And heck, if you're going to define our atmosphere and our ocean as a fluid medium, then you're saying that ALL animals are the same - name a single animal that travels through a completely SOLID medium.

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  2. All fish are donuts but not all donuts are fish by TapeCutter · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Or maybe a fish shaped like a donut?"

    I hate to break this to you but most animals (including fish and humans) are shaped like donuts (tube surrounded by the organisim). This is not the only "body plan", there are ~30 others still around today, (eg: Jellyfish have only one orifice). All body plans that have ever existed hail back to (or before) the Cambrian explosion

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  3. Re:Swimming Fish = Flying Bird? by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Informative
    Penguins don't have feathers

    Penguin FAQ
    "Penguin feathers are short, overlapping and densely packed. The outer part of the feather is waterproof while the inner down section traps an insulating layer of air, keeping the penguin warm in the sometimes freezing water."

  4. Re:Swimming Fish = Flying Bird? by RossumsChild · · Score: 3, Informative

    [Ahem]

    I have to type in some non cap letters here, otherwise the server won't let my quote pass. It is not my fault it's all in caps. That's the way it was written the first time!

    So, without further ado, the quote, courtesy of that haven of IRC gems, bash.org:
    YES IS NOT AN ANSWER TO "A OR B?"