Faster by design
Animal structure and motion
The Royal Veterinary College is part of University College London but it has a base in Hertfordshire. Scientists at the Structure and Motion laboratory study how animals move and how they recover from injury.
The scientists apply a range of techniques to study the movement of animals ranging from elephants to dogs. Their models allow them to predict the way that extinct animals might have moved - especially dinosaurs. They predict a top speed of 16 mph for Tyrannosaurus rex, for example. Quick - but not as quick as a racehorse.
Much of the work deals with horses. Horse racing is big business. Owners and trainers want to understand how to keep their horses fit while training and racing as fast as possible.
Submitted by: Checked by Alan Wilson. Images copyright the Royal Veterinary College, 23 October 2004
