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Forward locomotion of the nematode C. elegans is achieved through modulation of a single gait

<28>This paper overturned the established view that nematodes have discrete biomechanical gaits (akin to trotting and galloping of horses), leading to enthusiastic coverage in the popular press; an invited review in Contemporary Physics (2010); and multiple groups confirming and extending the results (Harvard, Penn, Technion, Paris). The application of quantitative metrics to evaluate behaviour was cutting edge, as was a novel physics simulator estimating the resistivity of the viscoelastic environment based on locomotion recordings alone. The results suggest a flaw in commonly used genetic screening assays; consequently, different laboratories, including that of Nobel prize laureate Chalfie, have modified their assays.