Forum location: QI.com Forum Index
> QI Animals
View previous topic | View next topic
| CB27
|
| 828369. Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:42 pm |
|
|
| Episode 2 of series D, have fun. |
|
|
|
 |
| Nehushtan
|
| 985973. Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:42 pm |
|
|
If a human were to move from place to place by hopping, he or she would get tired pretty quickly. Hopping is not a mode of locomotion for which humans are adapted. Kangaroos are different.
| Quote: | | Kangaroos and wallabies have large, elastic tendons in their hind legs. They store elastic strain energy in the tendons of their large hind legs, providing most of the energy required for each hop by the spring action of the tendons rather than by any muscular effort. This is true in all animal species which have muscles connected to their skeletons through elastic elements such as tendons, but the effect is more pronounced in kangaroos. | http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/Kangaroo#Adaptations
Given that kangaroos need to move around quite a lot each day, hopping is a much more efficient method of travel than running, enabling the animals to cover large distances quickly with minimum energy. |
|
|
|
 |
| Jenny
|
| 985980. Mon Apr 01, 2013 9:03 pm |
|
|
| Interesting point - welcome, Nehushtan :-) |
|
|
|
 |
Page 2 of 2
Goto page Previous 1, 2
QI.com Forum Index > QI Animals
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Search Forums
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group