Natural Selection, why not even better?

[Drakkith]

A lot of animals have evolved rotary bearings. It would not be much of a stretch from there to place a wheel on the end of that axel.

You don't appear to have read this thread or the wiki article you linked very well. A wheel and axle are nearly impossible to develop by evolution.

 

[Torbjorn_L]

A lot of animals have evolved rotary bearings.

By your own reference, we know of no macroscale examples.

You don't appear to have read this thread or the wiki article you linked very well. A wheel and axle are nearly impossible to develop by evolution.

As of 2011, the weevil is in the details. See my previous comment https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...hy-not-even-better.765834/page-2#post-4872429. It seems eminently possible in arthropods, just not likely.

The conclusion I drew there was that wheels aren't evolved likely because they are impractical and inefficient for most uses (uneven "road"; as seen in the weevil example tiring for muscles). But I know of no way to test that beyond the weevil find.

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Why haven't any animals evolved wheels? Surely that would be an improvement for speed.

Would wheels really be an improvement in speed? Sure, if you're on something perfectly flat and straight like a road, wheels are advantageous, but life did not evolve in an environment with roads. For moving on uneven terrain, wheels seem less advantageous than legs.