Weird wave behavior may explain why the whirligig walks in circles

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These diagrams show the surface deformation of water due to an object moving at 21 cms (0.9 times the minimum wave velocity) in a circular motion. Credit: Chepelianskii et al.
These diagrams show the surface deformation of water due to an object moving at 21 cm/s (0.9 times the minimum wave velocity) in a circular motion. Credit: Chepelianskii, et al.

The whirligig beetle is named for its trademark of walking in circles on the surface of water. Upon investigating a new phenomenon of water wave generation, scientists might now understand why.


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