Principles of Animal Locomotion By R. McNeill Alexander Princeton University Press (2003) pp. 371. ISBN 0-691-08678-8 $49.50.
Our efforts to match the extraordinary performance of nature's materials,organ systems, networks and behaviors have revealed the daunting complexity of biological systems. Rather than blindly copying nature, it is clear we must be inspired by general principles that emerge from an integration of disciplines. Fortunately, we are in the midst of a revolution that is removing the barriers between disciplines at a breath-taking pace. The field of animal locomotion,in particular, stands as an exemplar to the power of interdisciplinary integration. R. McNeill Alexander, one of the great zoologists of our time,has written a principle-based synthesis of musclepowered movement that will engage engineers and physicists, intrigue mathematicians, broaden the perspective of biologists and inspire graduate and undergraduate students.
Principles of Animal Locomotion demonstrates once again that comparing a diversity of animals allows discovery...
