June 4, 2013

MODEL FINDS COMMON MUSCLE CONTROL PATTERNS GOVERNING THE MOTION OF SWIMMING ANIMALS



What do swimmers like trout, eels and sandfish lizards have in common? According to a new study, the similar timing patterns that these animals use to contract their muscles and produce undulatory swimming motions can be explained using a simple model. Scientists have now applied the new model to understand the connection between electrical signals and body movement in the sandfish.