How to Walk on Water and Climb Up Walls - by David Hu (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discovering the secrets of animal movement and what they can teach us

Insects walk on water, snakes slither, and fish swim. Animals move with astounding grace, speed, and versatility: how do they do it, and what can we learn from them? How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls takes readers on a wondrous journey into the world of animal motion. From basement labs at MIT to the rain forests of Panama, David Hu shows how animals have adapted and evolved to traverse their environments, taking advantage of physical laws with results that are startling and ingenious. In turn, the latest discoveries about animal mechanics are inspiring scientists to invent robots and devices that move with similar elegance and efficiency. Integrating biology, engineering, physics, and robotics, How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls demystifies the remarkable secrets behind animal locomotion.

Review Quotes

"Co-Winner of the AIP Science Communication Book Award, American Institute of Physics"

"Finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books, Young Adult Science Books"

"Longlisted for the Young Adult Science Book Award, AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books"

"One of Inverse's Best Science Books of 2018"

About the Author

David L. Hu is professor of mechanical engineering and biology, and adjunct professor of physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives in Atlanta.