"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? In How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls, David Hu takes readers on an accessible, wondrous journey into the world of animal motion. From basement labs at MIT to the rain forests of Panama, 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. Hu follows scientists as they investigate a multitude of animal movements, from the undulations of sandfish and the way that dogs shake off water in fractions of a second to the seemingly crash-resistant characteristics of insect flight. Not limiting his exploration to individual organisms, Hu describes the ways animals enact swarm intelligence, such as when army ants cooperate and link their bodies to create bridges that span ravines. He also looks at what scientists learn from nature's unexpected feats--such as snakes that fly, mosquitoes that survive rainstorms, and dead fish that swim upstream. As researchers better understand such issues as energy, flexibility, and water repellency in animal movement, they are applying this knowledge to the development of cutting-edge technology. Integrating biology, engineering, physics, and robotics, [this book] demystifies the remarkable mechanics behind animal locomotion"--Page 4 of cover.

Authored by world-leading physicists, this introductory textbook explores the basic principles of polymers, colloids, liquid crystals, wetting, and foams. It is a practical ‘toolbox’ for readers to acquire basic knowledge in the field and facilitate further reading and advanced courses. Undergraduate students in physics, biology, and the medical sciences will learn the basics of soft matter physics, in addition to scaling approaches in the spirit of the Nobel prize laureate in physics in 1991, Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, the inventor of soft matter physics and close collaborator to author Françoise Brochard-Wyart. Features: Accessible and compact approach Contains exercises to enhance understanding All chapters are followed by a short 1-2 page "insert chapter" which serve as illustrations with concrete examples from everyday life (e.g. the Paris Metro, a zebrafish, a gecko, duck feathers etc.)

Everywhere, things spin--wheels turn, motors hum, tornadoes roar. This book explains the history and basic physics of spinning objects, from yo-yos, drills, propellers, and washing machines, to ballet dancers, dust devils, and bacteria. The book gives instructive, entertaining accounts of everyday sights: Does a curve ball really curve? Why do figure skaters tuck in their arms? Can you make a disposable pen fly? How does a falling cat always land on its feet? Answers to these questions (and many others) tell the amazing story of things that spin.

An inspiring new addition to the First Reference series, the DK First Animal Encyclopedia is loaded with spectacular photographs showing animal habits and habitats. From aardvark to zebra, this book is packed with fascinating facts about animals, giving children a wonderful head start on learning about the animal world.

Covering over 10,000 idioms and collocations characterized by similarity in their wording or metaphorical idea which do not show corresponding similarity in their meanings, this dictionary presents a unique cross-section of the English language. Though it is designed specifically to assist readers in avoiding the use of inappropriate or erroneous phrases, the book can also be used as a regular phraseological dictionary providing definitions to individual idioms, cliches, and set expressions. Most phrases included in the dictionary are in active current use, making information about their meanings and usage essential to language learners at all levels of proficiency.

Meet the world's mightiest Super Hero team: The Avengers! This comprehensive guide to the characters of Earth’s mightiest Super Hero team features in-depth profiles on every Avenger – their powers, their allies, their key storylines, and their foes. Features fan-favorites including Iron-Man, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. These are Marvel’s mighty Avengers. © 2021 MARVEL

•Complete walkthrough of all ninja quests and social missions. •In-depth fighting strategies for all 11 ninja. •Maps of Leaf Village and the surrounding areas. •Ninja combat strategies for maximizing taijutsu efficiency! •Manga excerpts inside.

Some of Menorca's riches can be reached by car, but to get the best from the island you should set out on foot to discover the beautiful landscapes and beauty spots. This work contains detailed walk description with timings to aid navigation, full colour 1:40,000 scale map of the route, and GPS waypoints for key points on all country routes.

This guide for Super Mario 3D All-Stars offers a walkthrough for all three Mario classics. Inside this guide you will find: - A 100% Walkthrough - For Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy. - A complete guide on Super Mario 64, including: - A layout of Peach's Castle, with each course's location pinpointed, as well as an overview of each course. - Walkthroughs for every star, including all courses' 100-coin star. - How to get each of the power-up caps. - The location of every single Secret Star found in Peach's Castle. A complete guide on Super Mario Galaxy, including: - A Dome Overviews page outlining every galaxy found in each Dome. - Walkthroughs for every star, including hidden stars and comet stars, found in each galaxy. - A guide on how to unlock the Planet of the Trials galaxies. - Detailed coin-by-coin walkthroughs of Purple Coin levels. A complete guide on Super Mario Sunshine, including: - Walkthroughs for every shine in every episode. - How to find every Blue Coin. - Strategies on how to secure 100 Coins on every Course.

Best Climbs Los Angeles narrows down the thousands of climbing routes across the 4,500 square miles of Los Angeles County to the absolute best 300 routes. These are the routes that display the hidden beauty and deep rooted climbing history of Los Angeles. From clipping bolts with humpback whales and dolphins on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, to bouldering at 6,100 feet on pristine alpine granite, or following in the footsteps of Yvon Chouinard, John Bachar, John Long, Royal Robbins, and Michael Reardon, some of the most iconic rock climbing heroes of our generation, Los Angeles truly has it all. Each section comes with its own unique history, description, climbing style, and a list of gear needed. Also included are detailed driving directions, maps and trailhead information along with the best time of day and year to climb. This guide covers routes from beginner to advanced in order to give climbers of every background a chance to sample the best that L.A. has to offer. Featuring full-color images of all the cliffs and boulders with easy to follow descriptions and grades for each route.