Walking on water may seem miraculous, but for tiny aquatic snails, it's an everyday activity. Now scientists believe they know how these creatures actually move on the water's surface.
Photo courtesy Eric Lauga
After studying videos of the snails, scientists discovered that a snail makes small rippling motions with its foot, and creates traction for itself on the water's surface, according to Eric Lauga, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego. The researchers' observations are detailed in the journal Physics of Fluids.
Photo courtesy Eric Lauga
After studying videos of the snails, scientists discovered that a snail makes small rippling motions with its foot, and creates traction for itself on the water's surface, according to Eric Lauga, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego. The researchers' observations are detailed in the journal Physics of Fluids.
The snails' ability to move depends on water's tendency for its surface to resist disturbance. Water "wants" to stay flat, Lauga said.
When the snail ripples its foot, similar ripples are created on the water's surface. The ripples generate a downward force as the water flattens itself.
These ripples are just the right size for the snail to use to push itself along. "If the ripples were too small, the snail would slip, as on ice," Lauga said.
For humans to distribute their weight widely enough to not break the water's surface tension, each shoe would have to be several times larger than a football field, Lauga explained.
But fantastic applications are not completely out of the question.
"It would be really interesting to build small-scale robotic versions of these snails to see if our understanding of their locomotion is correct and if we can recreate it," Lauga said.
While he doesn't see immediate practical applications for such devices, "in my wildest dreams I can see James Bond releasing robotic snails on water to spy on his enemies."
Read more on National Geographic News.
When the snail ripples its foot, similar ripples are created on the water's surface. The ripples generate a downward force as the water flattens itself.
These ripples are just the right size for the snail to use to push itself along. "If the ripples were too small, the snail would slip, as on ice," Lauga said.
For humans to distribute their weight widely enough to not break the water's surface tension, each shoe would have to be several times larger than a football field, Lauga explained.
But fantastic applications are not completely out of the question.
"It would be really interesting to build small-scale robotic versions of these snails to see if our understanding of their locomotion is correct and if we can recreate it," Lauga said.
While he doesn't see immediate practical applications for such devices, "in my wildest dreams I can see James Bond releasing robotic snails on water to spy on his enemies."
Read more on National Geographic News.
I hate snails but aquatic snails. Its cool that they can walk throught water.
what an amazing snail :)
my lizards and my cat LUV chasing them.
plz dont kill them esteban95 sorry im late thats cool they should call them Jesus snails
*sonicguy22*
That is cool that they walk on water!!!!!!!!!!!