bdbafh said:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7074831.stm
"The GM rodents can run five to six kilometres at a speed of 20 meters
per minute on a treadmill, for up to six hours before stopping.
Mouse treadmill (Case Western Reserve University)
The performance was tested on rodent treadmills
"They are metabolically similar to Lance Armstrong biking up the
Pyrenees; they utilise mainly fatty acids for energy and produce very
little lactic acid," said Professor Richard Hanson, the senior author
on the journal article. "
-bdbafh
A couple of old NYTimes articles on animal athletes.
Pronghorn's Speed May Be Legacy of Past Predators
http://tinyurl.com/2s6fh5
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E0D71031F937A15751C1A960958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
Animals That Are Peerless Athletes
http://tinyurl.com/2ktop5
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1D91F3AF932A35755C0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
An interesting quote from the above article -
...................................................
But horses, like many other mammals with great aerobic capacity, do have
a skill that humans lack. When horses begin running, their spleens
contract and spew out large volumes of red blood cells, the cells that
carry oxygen. "It's a huge effect," said Dr. Wagner. "Within 75 seconds,
the number of circulating red blood cells doubles." The only way humans
can increase their red blood cell concentration is to inject more cells,
a trick called blood doping, in which a person injects himself with his
own or another's blood right before a race. The practice can indeed
improve performance, but it is illegal in most sporting events.
...................................................
After seeing the Times story on the pronghorn I did a search and found
this anecdote -
http://tinyurl.com/2dpghw
http://www3.cesa10.k12.wi.us/Ecosystems/prairies/animals/phorn/Pronghorn.htm
...................................................
The pronghorn loves to play. It likes racing with moving objects.
People who drive cars through pronghorn country are often suprised when
a group of pronghorns suddenly appear from behind a low hill and start
running beside the car. Faster and faster the animals bound along,
trying to stay ahead of the car. All at once the animals will put on a
bu[r]st of speed. They will cut across the road in front of the car!
Once the pronghorns have crossed the road, they seem to feel the race is
over. They will stop and stare at the car and driver, looking pleased
with themselves.
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