Discussion: Life's Devices: The Physical World of Animals and Plants

Author: Steven Vogel

Description: Vogel introduces biomechanics, the study of how physics shapes living systems. He shows how animals and plants obey physical laws—gravity, drag, strength of materials—while evolving ingenious adaptations to thrive within them. The book covers topics like why small creatures can fall without injury, how insects breathe, why trees have certain branching patterns, and how body size influences function. Vogel emphasizes scaling: as organisms get larger, their structures and strategies must change to handle forces differently. Written for non-specialists, the book illustrates how biology and engineering intersect, making the natural world intelligible through physical principles.

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