When you read this story, here’s what you will discover:
- The basilisk lizard, also referred to as the “Jesus Christ lizard,” has the remarkable ability to sprint over water and escape from enemies through specialized movement techniques.
- Experts claim that humans would require significantly diminished gravitational forces to achieve this task.
-
However, experiments in physics and practical trials suggest that walking on water
could
It could be feasible for elite athletes such as Sha’Carri Richardson to perform under the conditions of other planets or moons with reduced gravitational forces.
The Basilisk lizard, also called the “Jesus Christ lizard,” has the remarkable ability to sprint across water surfaces. It can start
running
On land and then transitioning to water to evade predators, which is impressive considering it weighs about four ounces and is too heavy for water’s surface tension to support.
In the 1990s, two Harvard scientists, Tom McMahon and Jim Glasheen, initiated research into this intriguing occurrence. By examining footage of lizards traversing water surfaces, they formulated a mathematical framework which identified that every stride consists of three phases: slap, stroke, and recovery.
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As the basilisk dashes over the water, its feet strike the surface much like a runner’s footsteps hit the ground. With each impact of its foot against the water, an upward push is exerted back. The bigger the lizard’s foot and the quicker it strikes the water, the stronger this upward thrust becomes from the splash. In the stroke stage, the lizard swiftly propels its foot downward, forming an air pocket beneath it, thus elevating itself further out of the water. Finally, during what we call the recovery phase, as the creature lifts its foot upwards and prepares for another step forward, all these actions together allow it to maintain its rapid pace across the watery terrain.
Could humans accomplish the same outcome then?
In their study, Glasheen and McMahon determined that a person weighing 175 pounds with typical foot dimensions and elite-level speed would be capable of
stride rate
To stay above the water would require moving at a pace of about 98 feet every second, but the energy needed for such a movement is roughly 15 times higher than what a person can continuously produce. This means that it is impossible for a human to walk on water on our planet.
What about scenarios involving various physical conditions?
In 2012, researchers from the University of Milan carried out an experiment to determine if diminished gravitational forces could allow people to run on water. The participants were equipped with a custom-made support system designed to lessen their bodyweight down to just a portion of what they normally carry on Earth. Additionally, each participant had oversized flippers attached to their feet akin to those worn by basilisk lizards. Under these conditions, the subjects tried running in one spot inside a compact, portable pool.
In
footage from the trial run
The participants moved their thighs up and down rapidly, causing turbulent water movement. They plunged their legs into the water approximately midway to their kneecaps; however, they appeared capable of sustaining their diminished body weight for what the scientists considered a successful span of seven to eight seconds.
The group found out that every volunteer managed to walk on water under conditions simulating 10 percent of Earth’s gravity, however, when they ramped up the gravitational pull, only some of the participants were still able to manage it.
This implies that water running could potentially qualify as an Olympic event—provided we staged a future version of the Olympics on a planetary body or moon with suitable gravity conditions.
Physics World
indicates that the lakes on Titan, Saturn’s biggest satellite, resemble those on Earth, despite having a gravitational pull that is just 13.8 percent of what we experience on our planet. The publication goes on to mention that the women’s 100-meter world champion
Sha’Carri Richardson
could theoretically do it.
To generate enough vertical force—over 60% of what is required for propulsion—Richardson needs to hit the water’s surface at approximately 28 feet per second. In comparison, during her world championship performance, she achieved this with an impact speed of roughly 30 feet per second.
While we might not see humans racing like lizards in any upcoming Olympics, we can still appreciate that there exists an entity capable of such feats somewhere out there.
our
solar system.
