The Science of a Cheetah’s Speed | National Geographic

well the first thing that really strikes

well the first thing that really strikes me it’s just absolutely beautiful

me it’s just absolutely beautiful

me it’s just absolutely beautiful footage where you can see in incredible

footage where you can see in incredible

footage where you can see in incredible clarity what the cheetah is capable of

clarity what the cheetah is capable of

clarity what the cheetah is capable of there’s a number of key elements here

there’s a number of key elements here

there’s a number of key elements here one of the most important ones is this

one of the most important ones is this

one of the most important ones is this spine so the spine of the cheetah is

spine so the spine of the cheetah is

spine so the spine of the cheetah is proportionately the the longest and the

proportionately the the longest and the

proportionately the the longest and the most flexible of any large cat species

most flexible of any large cat species

most flexible of any large cat species and that’s really really important

and that’s really really important

and that’s really really important because it enables the cheetah to

because it enables the cheetah to

because it enables the cheetah to maximize the stride length keep by

maximize the stride length keep by

maximize the stride length keep by bunching and coiling that a spine alone

bunching and coiling that a spine alone

bunching and coiling that a spine alone it’s able to expand this incredible

it’s able to expand this incredible

it’s able to expand this incredible stride rate which you see look at his

stride rate which you see look at his

stride rate which you see look at his back

back

back watch the back it’s down now watch when

watch the back it’s down now watch when

watch the back it’s down now watch when he comes together watch when his hind

he comes together watch when his hind

he comes together watch when his hind feet come up look at the back go up just

feet come up look at the back go up just

feet come up look at the back go up just exactly like a coiled spring my golly if

exactly like a coiled spring my golly if

exactly like a coiled spring my golly if a horse headed back like that a horse

a horse headed back like that a horse

a horse headed back like that a horse could go 90 miles an hour look even

could go 90 miles an hour look even

could go 90 miles an hour look even though I’ve watched cheetahs run for

though I’ve watched cheetahs run for

though I’ve watched cheetahs run for over 30 years which is how long I’ve

over 30 years which is how long I’ve

over 30 years which is how long I’ve worked with them in that super slow

worked with them in that super slow

worked with them in that super slow motion I saw things that I’d never seen

motion I saw things that I’d never seen

motion I saw things that I’d never seen before and I don’t think I really

before and I don’t think I really

before and I don’t think I really realize although I knew it intuitively

realize although I knew it intuitively

realize although I knew it intuitively that that head just never moves in the

that that head just never moves in the

that that head just never moves in the eyes stay focused this is the animal

eyes stay focused this is the animal

eyes stay focused this is the animal that hunts the neck stretched out the

that hunts the neck stretched out the

that hunts the neck stretched out the head steady look how steady that head is

head steady look how steady that head is

head steady look how steady that head is so it’s not immediately obvious but the

so it’s not immediately obvious but the

so it’s not immediately obvious but the Cheetahs head as well has a whole suite

Cheetahs head as well has a whole suite

Cheetahs head as well has a whole suite of adaptations you can see this if you

of adaptations you can see this if you

of adaptations you can see this if you compare it to a fairly similarly sized

compare it to a fairly similarly sized

compare it to a fairly similarly sized animal the African leopard but you can

animal the African leopard but you can

animal the African leopard but you can see that the cheetah skull is is much

see that the cheetah skull is is much

see that the cheetah skull is is much shorter and much lighter so the reason

shorter and much lighter so the reason

shorter and much lighter so the reason for that is to help expand this nasal

for that is to help expand this nasal

for that is to help expand this nasal cavity so and to reduce the weight so

cavity so and to reduce the weight so

cavity so and to reduce the weight so this really enables that the cheetah to

this really enables that the cheetah to

this really enables that the cheetah to have a very lightweight head which you

have a very lightweight head which you

have a very lightweight head which you can see that marvelous moment in the

can see that marvelous moment in the

can see that marvelous moment in the footage which is keeping it very fixed

footage which is keeping it very fixed

footage which is keeping it very fixed on the preys you couldn’t do that with

on the preys you couldn’t do that with

on the preys you couldn’t do that with an overweight and so having expanded

an overweight and so having expanded

an overweight and so having expanded nasal cavities here actually helps while

nasal cavities here actually helps while

nasal cavities here actually helps while she’s suffocating the prey to be able to

she’s suffocating the prey to be able to

she’s suffocating the prey to be able to recover

recover

recover there’s another really interesting thing

there’s another really interesting thing

there’s another really interesting thing that has only just recently been

that has only just recently been

that has only just recently been described about cheetah legs and that’s

described about cheetah legs and that’s

described about cheetah legs and that’s the ratio of different types of muscle

the ratio of different types of muscle

the ratio of different types of muscle fibers so we know now that the muscles

fibers so we know now that the muscles

fibers so we know now that the muscles in the hind leg high in the high leg are

in the hind leg high in the high leg are

in the hind leg high in the high leg are dominated by these these fast twitch

dominated by these these fast twitch

dominated by these these fast twitch fibers so called fast twitch fibers and

fibers so called fast twitch fibers and

fibers so called fast twitch fibers and a particular type of them that enables

a particular type of them that enables

a particular type of them that enables very very explosive power

very very explosive power

very very explosive power I think the footage is really

I think the footage is really

I think the footage is really inspirational it’s the first time that

inspirational it’s the first time that

inspirational it’s the first time that people including someone like me who’s

people including someone like me who’s

people including someone like me who’s been really fortunate seen wild cheetahs

been really fortunate seen wild cheetahs

been really fortunate seen wild cheetahs many many times including many hunts but

many many times including many hunts but

many many times including many hunts but is able to see cheetahs in all their

is able to see cheetahs in all their

is able to see cheetahs in all their terrific evolutionary splendor when you

terrific evolutionary splendor when you

terrific evolutionary splendor when you see these cats running in this

see these cats running in this

see these cats running in this incredible slow-motion you see the

incredible slow-motion you see the

incredible slow-motion you see the perfection of everything that they are

perfection of everything that they are

perfection of everything that they are this is the cat that is utter perfection

this is the cat that is utter perfection

this is the cat that is utter perfection for what he does he does nothing but

for what he does he does nothing but

for what he does he does nothing but wrong it’s all he can do he’s not built

wrong it’s all he can do he’s not built

wrong it’s all he can do he’s not built to fight he’s not built to compete with

to fight he’s not built to compete with

to fight he’s not built to compete with the other cats or even the other

the other cats or even the other

the other cats or even the other predators this is the only thing he can

predators this is the only thing he can

predators this is the only thing he can do the only thing the cat can do to

do the only thing the cat can do to

do the only thing the cat can do to survive the perfect running machine for

survive the perfect running machine for

survive the perfect running machine for a cat who hunts alone Wow