THE THRILL OF SPEED
W Usain Bolt could end up
with a speeding ticket if he goes
sprinting in areas with traffic-
calming measures. The Jamaican
athlete broke the world record at
the 2009 World Championships by
running 100 metres in 9.58 seconds,
reaching speeds of more than
44 km/h in the process.X Hummingbirds aren’t the
fastest birds in the animal kingdom,
but these diminutive aerial acrobats
can beat their wings up to 200 times
per second, faster than any other
bird. This skill combined with the
rest of their anatomy enables them
to hover in mid-air like a helicopter
and even fly backwards.PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT): STEVE CHRISTO/FAIRFAX MEDIA VIA GETTY IMAGES; MARC
SANCHEZ/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES/LARRY KELLER, LITITZ PA
T So-called ‘funny cars’
have several thousand horsepower
under the bonnet when they line
up for a drag race. Some of the
drivers in these races cross the
line at over 500 kilometres per
hour. At that speed only a braking
parachute secures a safe end to
the thrilling ride.64 | July• 2019