Physics (Internal)

Survival of the Driest: A Visual Adventure Into the Wet-dog Shake and Other Marvels of Nature

This event is part of the Physics Department Colloquia Series.

Abstract Water is a paradox: it is essential to life but in large quantities, brings certain death. In this presentation, we embark on a visual journey through the fascinating ways animals have evolved to cope with life on a watery planet. We use photography, high-speed and time-lapse film to visualize these animal adaptations at work across land, sea and air. The audience will learn how certain animals walk on water, how others build rafts with their own bodies, how flushing cockroaches down a toilet fails to kill them, how mosquitoes get you in a rainstorm, and how dogs and other furry mammals dry 70% of their entire bodies within fractions of a second. We also demonstrate how these natural adaptations have inspired a new generation of animal-like robots that can handle varied and complex terrain, such as the bark of trees and the surfaces of water.