The Mechanics of Running on Water

Synopsis

Some small animals such as the basilisk lizard are able to run on water by quickly striking the surface with sufficient force to support their body weight above the water. However, due to limited muscle power and small surface area relative to their mass, most larger species are unable to run on water in earth’s gravity. In this seminar I will discuss the mechanical criteria for an animal to be able to run on water. Applied to a simple model of bipedal motion these criteria predict the conditions under which humans could potentially run on water. Together with experimental tests this research suggests that humans could in fact run on water with nothing more than a pair of flippers and a trip to the moon.