A study found that the reason cheetahs and other fast-running animals can move at such high speeds is because they have a sweet spot.
A study that was published in the journal Nature Communications suggests that medium-sized animals are more likely to be quick runners.
Animals that are intermediate in size, such as cheetahs, are the fastest—they are neither giant elephants nor small ants.
Why do the regular patterns governing most other aspects of animal anatomy and function break down when it comes to running speed?
The multinational study team evaluated the limitations on the speed at which animals might run after creating a model to show how their muscles function on land. According to the study, there are two restrictions on how quickly animals may run.
They are the maximum speed and range at which their muscles can contract. Furthermore, their maximum running pace is determined by the limit they reach first. This limit is set by the total size of the animal.The first limit Is known as the “kinetic energy capacity limit,” and it describes how the rate at which smaller animals’ muscles contract limits their movement.
The second is “work capacity limit,” which refers to the degree to which larger animals’ muscles can contract in order to constrain them.The physical sweet spot for cheetah-sized animals occurs at 50 kg, which is the intersection of these two boundaries. As a result, these creatures can travel at the quickest speeds—up to 65 miles per hour.
It also establishes how certain species’ muscles originated. It also sheds light on the reasons behind the stark differences that exist between different animal groupings. It clarifies, for example, why huge reptiles, such as crocodiles, move more slowly than enormous mammals.According to some experts, limb muscles make up a smaller portion of a reptile’s body.
As a result, they must reach their work limit at a lower body weight and maintain their small size in order to move swiftly.
Since their muscles are weaker and gravity requires a greater force, running may feel like lifting a huge weight for gigantic creatures like rhinos or elephants. Animals eventually have to slow down as they grow larger because of both