The Fastest Thing in the Universe

Speed always excites human beings and has inspired us since the beginning of time. From drag racing to track events and countless other sports and leisure activities, man’s fascination with speed is boundless. So, do you know what is the fastest thing in the universe? No? Now let't find out some of the fastest thing in the world together. 

Fastest Thing in the Universe

1

The Fastest Man

The list of fastest thing in the universe wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fastest man ever recorded to date. That man is Usain Bolt. The Jamaican born athlete holds the record of covering 100 m in a measly 9.58 seconds. To put this into perspective, this is a speed of 37.7 km/h. If Bolt were in a race, he’d be through by the time you were done reading this sentence. Even more surprising is the fact that scientists found that Usain Bolt was less aerodynamic than average person. This makes his achievements even more mind boggling.

2

The Fastest Aquatic Animal

Sailfish live in the ocean, particularly in the warm water sections. There are two species of sailfish and their colors range from gray to blue. Both of them have a long erectile dorsal fin. They also have an elongated bill similar to that of a swordfish.  Actually, in sport fishing circles, they are known as billfish. The sailfish happens to be the fastest fish ever recorded. With speeds of up to 110 km/h, there is clearly very little competition for the top spot. Sailfish are also known for their incredible jumps and varied colors. They can change body color at will as it is controlled by their nervous system.

3

The Fastest Land Animal

Found in Africa and the Middle East, cheetah is the fastest animal on land. It can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h with short bursts covering up to 500 m. The cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 10 km/h in 3 seconds flat.

Some of its features that enable it to run so fast include its enlarged nostrils (which allow for optimal oxygen intake) as well as the large heart and lungs that aid in the circulation of oxygen in the body. Cheetah also has semi-retractable claws that give it excellent traction. It can also make sharp turns mid-run due to its rudder-like tail. The cheetah deserves its place in the list of the fastest thing in the world.

4

The Fastest Tornado

In 1919, the world witnessed the fastest tornado in history. It occurred in Oklahoma where scientists measured a top speed of 318 mph. The tornado destroyed about 250 homes and killed 4 people on its way. Before that, the fastest wind recorded clocked 286 mph. This earns the tornado its place in the fastest things in the universe.

5

The Fast Animal in Sky

Clocking speeds of up to 325 km/h, The Peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the sky. In fact, it is the fastest creature in the animal kingdom. It can live anywhere in the world from the tropics to the arctic tundra. It can, however, not survive in tropical rain forests, very high mountains and polar regions. It is, for this reason, the most widespread bird of prey.

6

​The Fastest Spacecraft

New Horizons is a mission commissioned by NASA en route to Pluto. The spacecraft is expected to fly by the most remote planets – Pluto, Nix, Hydra and Charon. Launched in 2006, the spacecraft reached a velocity of 58,536 km/h before leaving earth. This is the fastest speed ever recorded. According to NASA, New Horizons was expected to fly by Pluto in 2015.

7

​Light—The Fastest Thing Recorded

Light is undoubtedly the fastest thing in the universe. In a vacuum, light moves with a speed of 186,282.397 mps. If you moved at this speed around the equator, you would go round the earth about 7 times in one second. While light moves at the fastest speed ever recorded by man, there is speculation that there is something else that moves faster. See below.

8

​Tachyon—Even Faster Than Light

Tachyons are particles that can travel faster than light. The idea of Tachyons was first floated by Arnold Sommerfeld, a physicist, and later named by Gerald Feinberg. The name Tachyon was coined from the Greek name tachus, whose literal translation is “speedy”. The basic principle behind Tachyons is that they gain speed when they lose energy and lose speed when they gain energy. The slowest speed of Tachyon is the speed of light.   

 

SOURCE_INKIVILLAGE.COM