A Unified Theory of Animal Locomotion

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."

Comments

Roland Piquepaille

[Anonymous Coward]

Roland Piquepaille and Slashdot

Re:Some solutions missing.

[Jeremi]

If such methods are better, why has no animal evolved them?

It could be just "bad luck" -- evolution isn't guaranteed to find the best solution to anything, only a solution that is "good enough" to guarantee survival of the species (otherwise the species would have gone extinct). But putting that aside, there are probably structural reasons why animals never evolved wheels -- for example, how would do you connect nerves or blood vessels to an appendage that needs to be able to rotate freely?

Finally, it could be that in nature wheels aren't actually "better" after all. There wouldn't be much use in being able to roll down a freeway at 50MPH if there are no freeways, and your snazzy evolved bio-wheels keep getting stuck in the mud...