this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 81 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Not to alarm anyone, but unless you're doing the 100m in around 11s or less, current large crocodiles are still faster than you. But if you're fit enough to keep the speed going, you should outlast them over short enough distance.

And if you can't do any of that, well you'll have to run lateral to it and hope your agility out maneouvers them.

[–] Artyom@lemm.ee 51 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Mythbusters tested whether it was better to zig zag or run straight away from a gator. Turns out, it doesn't matter, gators won't chase you.

[–] rickyrigatoni@lemm.ee 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They've spent hundreds of millions of years sitting in lakes waiting for food to step in their mouths. They deserve to be called sloths more than actual sloths.

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[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Or that you have the adequate weapons on you, the knowledge and physical ability to use them properly.

[–] SomeAmateur@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

chootem inna hed nah boa!

[–] misterundercoat@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Serpentine!

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 54 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Just so ya know, a regular modern day crocodile can also outrun you on land.

[–] thann@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 1 month ago

Yeah, but only because I'm American

[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Yeah but I would easily beat him in hurdles.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

This is true. Or running serpentine:

"He only has a brain the size of a walnut."

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[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Don't even get me started on the pole vault

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 38 points 1 month ago

A mighty steed!

You cannot prove that humans didn't ride these into battle.

[–] Tyfud@lemmy.world 35 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Alligators can already outrun a person on land.

They just choose not to. Because they're lazy and they don't like running after their prey.

I suspect the same was probably true of whatever it was we killed off back then too.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Flat solid land? Nah, person wins on any distance over a few feet.

Through brush and marsh? Nobody beats the gator.

[–] Tyfud@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago (3 children)

That's not true. And another one.

TL;DR;

They can run up to 35mph over short (20-30ft) distances. Then they can run at a slightly slower (though faster than most humans) pace for a sustained period of roughly 100 feet (30ish meters for the non-'mericans).

In every scenario they can and will catch every human on earth except an Olympic sprinter. And even then, it wouldn't be a comfortable race for them.

The reason they don't chase you down and eat you on land, is because they've evolved to be ambush predators from water transitions to land. They are lazy. Simple as that. And their food comes to them in most cases. Why would they want to spend all those calories just to maybe get a un-tasty human? They conserve energy so they can perform several ambush attempts for prey, rather than one long chase.

In the end, their current approach gets them more calories for the efforts, which is why they've evolved that way.

But they can, on paper, absolutely wipe the floor with you in a sprint over solid, flat land. For 100 feet.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

You should try reading your source...

"Experts say the American alligator’s top running speed clocks in at 11mph."

I a fat outta shape slouch, but I think in a life or death situation I could manage 11mph for a few minutes.

Sure they can burst a good bit of speed, but that 20-30 ft sprint mostly comes from them lunging with all 4 legs and their tail as hard as they can and then maybe 1 or 2 more lunges and some scrabbling.

It's mainly a matter of weight and gait. They got stubby little side protruding legs and they weight a ton incomparison to their leg musculature. They can high walk for a good distance, and they can gallop, but only for a few steps.

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 8 points 1 month ago

Usain Bolt's fastest recorded speed is 27.79 mph.

Unless you can dust the fastest man on Earth in a footrace, you're gonna be a snack.

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[–] pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online 8 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Not a lot of people can run 11mph for any distance, though.

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[–] BaroqueInMind@lemmy.one 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Fun fact, the reason dragons appear in literally every culture that developed language came from people surviving horrific encounters with enormous crocodiles.

[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Uruanna@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

But is that a fact

(it's not)

[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 25 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

hairy crocodile? artistic liberty?

[–] lunarul@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Looks like they photoshopped a crocodile onto a bear

[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

lol, i wasn't paying attention clearly

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Gee, I wonder why those died out.

[–] LesserAbe@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah, who are they calling apex predator, take a look around.

[–] pdxfed@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago

More like ape-ex amirite

[–] uservoid1@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee 18 points 1 month ago (3 children)
[–] DwjsrIyx@lemmynsfw.com 10 points 1 month ago

Yes but only once

[–] MagicShel@programming.dev 6 points 1 month ago

Sure, li'l buddy! He's coming quick, so I'm just going to run over there to take a picture.

[–] TriPolarBearz@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Yes, first you pet them on the outside, then you pet them on the inside.

[–] Zip2@feddit.uk 16 points 1 month ago

Steve Irwin would still have fed them.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 14 points 1 month ago

Crocodoggo! 😍

[–] blackwateropeth@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Oh shit, sadam is that you?

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[–] Elgenzay@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 month ago
[–] Num10ck@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

All those "dragon types" charts you see call this a drake. I don't really get that because drakes are ducks.

[–] PapaStevesy@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

But according to those charts, ducks are wyverns...

[–] penguinsAreRapists@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Be the change you want to see.

[–] penguinsAreRapists@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago

I can barely take care of myself

[–] g_g@hexbear.net 4 points 1 month ago

it looks so cute tho

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

invents bazooka

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