Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

Your sprinting skills have a lot to do with genetics, but your brain also plays a big role.

Elizabeth (Kip) Webster, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, University of Tennessee • conversation
April 29, 2024 • ~7 min

Your mighty tendons help you sprint, jump and move – a genetic mutation in one key protein may increase athletic performance

The discovery of the role that the protein Piezo1 plays in touch and body awareness won the 2021 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Piezo1 may also be a significant player in motor function.

Ryo Nakamichi, Postdoctoral Researcher in Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute • conversation
Sept. 28, 2022 • ~6 min

Are middle lanes fastest in track and field? Data from 8,000 racers shows not so much

In track and field, it's a common belief that middle lanes are the fastest. But according to the data, middle lanes aren't better, and in the 200-meter sprint, outside lanes might even be faster.

David R. Munro, Assistant Professor of Economics, Middlebury • conversation
July 21, 2021 • ~8 min

Robo-boot concept promises 50% faster running

A high-tech twist on an old idea – running on springs – could give human-powered movement its biggest boost in more than a century.

David Braun, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University • conversation
May 15, 2020 • ~7 min

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