How Fast Is Atlatl (spear thrower)?

An atlatl — spear-thrower lever — launches spears at 40 m/s, twice the speed a human arm alone can manage. Used by humans for thousands of years across every continent, it's a remarkable example of a simple tool dramatically extending human capability.

Spear-throwers were used in Australia (woomera), Mexico (atlatl), and Europe simultaneously by Stone Age peoples — independent invention of the same lever principle by separated cultures.

• Faster than motorway driving
• 2× the speed of a hand-thrown spear