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Soft matter and liquids

Soft matter and liquids

Could athletes mimic basilisk lizards and turn water-running into an Olympic sport?

09 Jul 2024

Far too heavy to be supported by surface tension, basilisk lizards and western grebes can sprint for short distances on water. To mark the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nicole Sharp examines the physics behind water-running and asks whether human athletes could ever accomplish the same feat

A basilisk lizard running across water
Fast feet The basilisk lizard is known as the Jesus Christ lizard for its ability to sprint several metres across the surface of water to escape predators. (Courtesy: Bence Mate/naturepl.com)
The world’s best runners are gathering in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Sprinters vying for

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Nicole Sharp is an engineer and science communicator specializing in fluid dynamics. She runs the fluid dynamics blog FYFD
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