Walking on water. Not as crazy as it sounds.
Several creatures in the animal kingdom possess the ability to run,
walk and even stand still on water. The first example is that of the
basilisk lizard. It can be found in the tropical forests of Central and
South America. To escape from predators, it is known to run across water
bodies to safety. It is capable of moving in this fashion at an
impressive speed of 1.5 meters per
second. If humans wanted to match this, we would need to move our legs
back and forth at over 100 kilometers per hour.
Water Striders
are insects that exploit surface tension to achieve this. Their legs are
spread wide apart and their bodies weigh very little. So the surface
tension of the water is able to support their load, allowing the water
to skate above the surface of the water
But the most amazing
instance of an animal walking on water is the Pygmy Gecko (pictured).
It's tiny - so small that it is smaller than even some insects. It lives
in the Amazon rainforest. In such an environment, it constantly runs
the risk of drowning in a puddle or being swept away by raindrops. Yet,
this gecko has a hydrophobic skin. If water falls on it, it just beads
up and slides off, much like rain on a newly waxed car. Coupled with its
incredibly light body frame, the Pygmy Gecko is literally able to stand
on water, even in the most torrential rain.
Image URL: http://bit.ly/ep3fhV
Read more: http://bbc.in/L8kk
Video of the Pygmy Gecko in action: http://bbc.in/Ki7HHU
Walking on water. Not as crazy as it sounds.
Several creatures in the animal kingdom possess the ability to run, walk and even stand still on water. The first example is that of the basilisk lizard. It can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. To escape from predators, it is known to run across water bodies to safety. It is capable of moving in this fashion at an impressive speed of 1.5 meters per second. If humans wanted to match this, we would need to move our legs back and forth at over 100 kilometers per hour.
Water Striders are insects that exploit surface tension to achieve this. Their legs are spread wide apart and their bodies weigh very little. So the surface tension of the water is able to support their load, allowing the water to skate above the surface of the water
But the most amazing instance of an animal walking on water is the Pygmy Gecko (pictured). It's tiny - so small that it is smaller than even some insects. It lives in the Amazon rainforest. In such an environment, it constantly runs the risk of drowning in a puddle or being swept away by raindrops. Yet, this gecko has a hydrophobic skin. If water falls on it, it just beads up and slides off, much like rain on a newly waxed car. Coupled with its incredibly light body frame, the Pygmy Gecko is literally able to stand on water, even in the most torrential rain.
Image URL: http://bit.ly/ep3fhV
Read more: http://bbc.in/L8kk
Video of the Pygmy Gecko in action: http://bbc.in/Ki7HHU
Several creatures in the animal kingdom possess the ability to run, walk and even stand still on water. The first example is that of the basilisk lizard. It can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. To escape from predators, it is known to run across water bodies to safety. It is capable of moving in this fashion at an impressive speed of 1.5 meters per second. If humans wanted to match this, we would need to move our legs back and forth at over 100 kilometers per hour.
Water Striders are insects that exploit surface tension to achieve this. Their legs are spread wide apart and their bodies weigh very little. So the surface tension of the water is able to support their load, allowing the water to skate above the surface of the water
But the most amazing instance of an animal walking on water is the Pygmy Gecko (pictured). It's tiny - so small that it is smaller than even some insects. It lives in the Amazon rainforest. In such an environment, it constantly runs the risk of drowning in a puddle or being swept away by raindrops. Yet, this gecko has a hydrophobic skin. If water falls on it, it just beads up and slides off, much like rain on a newly waxed car. Coupled with its incredibly light body frame, the Pygmy Gecko is literally able to stand on water, even in the most torrential rain.
Image URL: http://bit.ly/ep3fhV
Read more: http://bbc.in/L8kk
Video of the Pygmy Gecko in action: http://bbc.in/Ki7HHU
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