Biology
The Mechanics of Cheetah Acceleration and Spinal Flexion During Pursuit
Quick fact
During a gallop, a cheetah's spine can flex and extend to change the distance between its front and back legs by up to 30%, and its stride length can reach 7 meters—longer than a double-decker bus.
Why this is interesting
Cheetahs can go from 0 to 100 km/h in under three seconds—but their secret isn't just powerful muscles. It lies in a backbone that flexes like a spring.