A catapult action for rapid limb protraction

Article Abstract:

A horse cannot protract its limbs quickly enough simply by contracting muscles, so instead it uses an elastic biceps muscle to store and release bursts of energy, according to new research at the Royal Veterinary College and University College London. The action is similar to that of a catapult, in which energy is stored slowly but is released quickly.

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No force limit on greyhound sprint speed

Article Abstract:

Humans, while running around a bend tend to slow down but greyhound dogs do not change their speed when entering a tight bend. This is attributed to different mechanisms in humans and greyhounds for producing power and supporting weights, which are essential for the body while encountering a tight bend.

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Rapid body size decline in Alaskan Pleistocene horses before extinction

Article Abstract:

Alaskan Pleistocene horses underwent a rapid decline in body size before extinction and it is proposed that the size decline and subsequent regional extinction at 12,500 radiocarbon years before present, are attributed to a coincident climatic/vegetational shift.

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