Mark Denny
Encyclopedia
Mark W. Denny is a professor of biology at Stanford University
.
His research on the intertidal zone
of wave-swept shores has led to increased understanding of this habitat. His most publicized research is his work on locomotion of water striders, which led to the coining of the term "Denny's paradox
" to explain a discrepancy between physics and previous understanding of how surface-dwelling animals such as these insects move.
In 2008 he examined greyhound
s, thoroughbred horse
s and human athletes trying to find their maximum running speed
. He predicted the fastest possible time for men's 100 metres
will be 9.48 seconds.
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
His research on the intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
of wave-swept shores has led to increased understanding of this habitat. His most publicized research is his work on locomotion of water striders, which led to the coining of the term "Denny's paradox
Denny's paradox
In the study of animal locomotion on the surface layer of water, Denny's paradox refers to the apparent impossibility of surface-dwelling animals such as the water strider generating enough propulsive force to move...
" to explain a discrepancy between physics and previous understanding of how surface-dwelling animals such as these insects move.
In 2008 he examined greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
s, thoroughbred horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and human athletes trying to find their maximum running speed
Footspeed
Footspeed, or sprint speed, is the maximum speed at which a human can run. It is affected by many factors, varies greatly throughout the population, and is important in athletics and many sports, such as Football, Rugby, and American Football....
. He predicted the fastest possible time for men's 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
will be 9.48 seconds.
Books
Denny is the author of several books, including:- Biology and the Mechanics of Wave-Swept Shores (1985)
- Air and Water (1993)
- Chance in Biology: Using Probability to Explore Nature (with Steven Gaines) (2002)
- Conversations With Marco Polo: The Remarkable Life of Eugene C. Haderlie (with Joanna L. Nelson) (2006)