By James Dacey
(Courtesy: Nowack, Dickerson, Hu/Georgia Tech)
All animals obey the laws of physics but some creatures do so with more panache than others. The November issue of Physics World reveals the extraordinary physics behind animal activities from the everyday – such as how cats and dogs drink – to the otherworldly, such as the super shrimp that can fracture aquarium glass with its clubs.
For the latest Physics World photo challenge we want you to share your photos of animal physics. As always we encourage you to be creative in the way you interpret the theme. But if you are looking for inspiration you might want to think about some of the animal behaviour that has dazzled and intrigued scientists over the years. How the peacock’s feathers have structures that produce beautiful shimmering colours to attract female mates, or how pond skaters can skip so effortlessly across water, for example.
To take part please upload your images to our Flickr page by Friday 4 January, and after this date we will showcase a selection of the best animal physics photos on physicsworld.com. Happy snapping!
Members of the Institute of Physics can access the digital version of the November animal physics issue of Physics World via this link. It’s packed with a series of fascinating photos, videos and features on a selection of animals, all of which have some interesting physics involved in their daily lives.
