Articles
In-depth essays on the science of speed — exploring some of the more surprising results from our interactive scale of velocity. Each article links back to the related items on the scale.
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Why the Cheetah Isn’t the Fastest Animal
The cheetah is the fastest land animal — but the peregrine falcon in its hunting dive is nearly three times faster. A look at how we define "fastest" in nature.
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How Fast Are You Moving Right Now?
Sitting perfectly still, you’re moving faster than any bullet ever fired. A tour of the speeds Earth carries you through, from rotation to galactic motion.
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Why Is the Speed of Light the Universal Speed Limit?
Why can nothing with mass travel faster than light? A clear explanation of relativity, the speed-of-light constant, and the famous loopholes.
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How Fast Are Tornadoes, Hurricanes and Lightning?
A breakdown of the speeds in weather — from drifting snow at less than 1 m/s to lightning at one-third the speed of light. With the surprising physics behind each.
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Things Faster Than the Speed of Sound
A tour of supersonic phenomena — from whip cracks at Mach 1 to cosmic rays at Mach 870,000. What "Mach" means and why it matters.