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Biomechanics

Walking on other planets

Nature volume 409, pages 467–469 (2001)Cite this article

A nineteenth-century equation used for building model ships allows us to compare the motion of animals of different sizes and gaits. It may also give us an idea of how we would move on different planets.

What do a gibbon swinging by its arms from tree to tree, a sailing steamship, and a walking human have in common? The answer lies in a simple concept introduced in the nineteenth century by nautical engineer William Froude to help him to produce model ships that maintained the same propulsion dynamics as full-size vessels. His 'Froude number' is a dimensionless variable that was brought into biology by D'Arcy Thompson1 and popularized by McNeill Alexander2,3 in the study of the energetics and mechanics of animal locomotion. This number allows one to compare the motion of species with different numbers of legs and gaits, and to investigate the effects of different body sizes on the mechanics of movement. As suggested by various earlier papers4,5,6, and borne out by new work described by Cavagna and colleagues in the Journal of Physiology7, the Froude number is also a reliable rule-of-thumb for predicting walking speeds on planets with gravities different from that of the Earth.

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Figure 1: Walking speed as a function of gravity.

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  1. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Hassall Road, Alsager, ST7 2HL, UK

    Alberto E. Minetti

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  1. Alberto E. Minetti
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Correspondence to Alberto E. Minetti.

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Minetti, A. Walking on other planets. Nature 409, 467–469 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35054166

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