A Unified Theory of Animal Locomotion

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday January 2, 2006 @02:33PM 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."

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Roland Piquepaille by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-02 14:38 · Score: 5, Interesting

Roland Piquepaille and Slashdot
Science gibberish by Piroca · 2006-01-02 14:42 · Score: 5, Funny

these scientists argue that the characteristics of animal shape and locomotion are predictable from physics

I wonder who could expected the outcome to be the other way around.
Re:Swimming Fish = Flying Bird? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-02 14:46 · Score: 5, Funny

Yes, they are the same or different. I could have told you that without a research paper.