Check Out The Secrets Behind Why Cheetahs Are So Fast

Even if you don’t know much about the cheetah, you probably know a couple of facts. First, cheetah’s spots look suspiciously like leopard spots from a distance and second, the cheetah is fast. Hyundai even put together a humorous commercial following a cheetah easily chasing down a young man after it determines it can’t beat the car in a road race. Now, The Smithsonian Channel has put together a video explaining why even vehicles aren’t actually a match for the cheetah when it comes to acceleration.

As the video explains, while cheetahs can reach up to 75 mph while running, it is in acceleration that the awesome animal can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds. That’s faster than a McLaren and other high-end vehicles. Amusingly, the video takes a look at unique “design features” on the cheetah that help it reach top speeds and maintain them, once reached. The video talks about the creature almost as if it were of human design, like an automobile, all the while making it clear the animal’s evolutionary developments have been made precisely for speed.

The cheetah has a need for speed, and it isn’t afraid to show it. During the tenure of each stride, the animal will twice achieve full air, with all four feet off of the ground. That’s way more air than the average rollercoaster rider will ever get and it’s pretty awesome to be able to watch it in slow motion. So, if you have a couple of minutes, give the cheetah video a shot and, if you have several minutes, be sure to check out this deer and dog racing, learn some true facts about the dung beetle, or watch a duck fall asleep in an accounting class. All good options, I assure you.