Latest news with #biomechanics
The Independent
05-08-2025
- Science
- The Independent
New research changes what we know about dinosaur predators
A comprehensive new analysis of 18 dinosaur species has revealed that several of the giant prehistoric predators had weaker bites than previously assumed. Researchers, including those from the University of Bristol, found that Tyrannosaurus rex had skulls optimised for powerful, crushing bites, similar to modern crocodiles. In contrast, others such as spinosaurus and allosaurs possessed weaker bites, better suited for slashing and ripping flesh, akin to a Komodo dragon. The study, published in Current Biology, used 3D X-ray scanning technology to analyse skull mechanics and quantify bite strength across the species. This biomechanical diversity indicates that giant carnivorous dinosaurs followed different evolutionary paths, leading to a wider range of feeding strategies than often thought.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man Encodes the Blueprint of Human Evolution, Says London Dentist
New research reveals a hidden geometric ratio in Leonardo's drawing that may define the endpoint of human evolution toward upright posturePhoto Courtesy of Rory Mac Sweeney LONDON, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A London-based dental surgeon and researcher, Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney of Precision Endodontics, has ignited international interest with a provocative reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. His newly published research suggests the Renaissance masterpiece encodes a precise geometric ratio that reflects the biomechanical endpoint of human evolution. Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory, published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, identifies a hidden equilateral triangle embedded in Vitruvian Man. He connects this geometry to Bonwill's Triangle—a fundamental dental structure first described in the 19th century, which governs optimal jaw alignment and function. According to Mac Sweeney, this triangular structure appears throughout the body and is mathematically anchored by the ratio √8/3, or approximately 1.633. 'Leonardo's drawing isn't just a study in proportion—it's a map of tension,' said Dr. Mac Sweeney. 'The 1.633 ratio appears in the jaw, the spine, and the skull. It reflects a state known as vector equilibrium, where structural tension and compression are perfectly balanced. I believe this marks the final step in the human journey toward full upright posture.' This ratio, derived from the geometry of the cuboctahedron, is widely recognized in biomechanics and architecture as a hallmark of tensegrity—the balance of forces within a stable form. Dr. Mac Sweeney contends that this geometry defines the Vitruvian Morphotype: a form that nature has converged on through evolutionary pressures—not because it is aesthetically pleasing, but because it is structurally optimal. 'Human evolution has been a long progression toward uprightness,' he explained. 'The 1.633 ratio may represent our evolutionary omega point—a structural threshold beyond which no further anatomical adaptation is needed to stand, move, and balance efficiently in gravity.' Mac Sweeney suggests that fossil evidence should reveal a slow convergence toward this geometric configuration, particularly in the jaw. He highlights the emergence of Class I occlusion in the fossil record—also known as the overbite/overjet 'step'—around 8,000 years ago as a key moment. While small variations remain, he argues that modern Homo sapiens are the first species to fully express this morphotype. 'It's like the hydrodynamic form of a dolphin,' he said. 'Nature solves gravity the way it solves water. Vitruvian Man is the first full sketch of what that solution looks like.' Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory is now attracting attention from experts in evolutionary biology, bioengineering, and anatomical design. He is currently conducting interviews, public talks, and media appearances to discuss what he calls the Vitruvian Ratio—and its broader implications for anthropology, architecture, and even consciousness. 'Leonardo, somehow, saw it coming,' Mac Sweeney added. 'Vitruvian Man may be the only anatomical diagram ever created that captures not just what a human is—but what a human is becoming.' About Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney: Dr. Mac Sweeney is a London-based endodontist and researcher known for his interdisciplinary work in dental anatomy, geometry, and human evolution. His work explores the convergence of structural biology and classical design, and he is the author of the book The Paradox of Lucid Dreaming. @luciddreamyoga Contact Information: Contact person: Dr. Rory Mac SweeneyCompany name: Precision EndodonticsWebsite: [ Contact: rorymacsweeney@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNN
08-07-2025
- Science
- CNN
The secrets behind the world's fastest tennis serves
If you've ever picked up a tennis racket and attempted to serve against an opponent, you'll know just how hard a skill it is. It's one thing to get the ball over the net and yet a whole other thing to even start thinking about speed and accuracy. It's a technique that quickly separates the professionals from the amateurs and a skill which has become increasingly important in the modern game. Nowadays, both men and women are serving faster than ever before, with players regularly reaching service speeds that were once thought to be nearly impossible. At this year's Wimbledon, for example, fans witnessed the fastest serve in the tournament's 148-year history, when Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard unleashed a 153 mph rocket in his first-round match against Taylor Fritz. Perricard is part of a new breed of players who weaponize their powerful asset to significant effect. The 21-year-old is the current world No. 36 but clearly has the power to one day challenge the very best. 'I'm not doing some special technique to have a big serve or a fast serve. I'm just serving like I'm supposed to do. We don't train a lot to be honest, this part of my game. But I mean, it came naturally,' he said. But while Perricard is nonchalant about his superior delivery, there is a science behind what makes his technique so successful. Former tennis player and sports scientist Mark Kovacs has dedicated years to researching the biomechanics behind a tennis serve. Speaking to CNN Sports, he breaks down the technique into eight components: The opening stance, the ball toss, the loading, the coiling, the acceleration, the contact, the deceleration and finally, the finish, which is where the player lands. 'You need synchronized motion. You need all of these stages to hit optimally because you get this summation of forces. It's really called the kinetic chain. You're trying to optimize your kinetic chain, which means how we use the ground up through the body and out into the ball,' Kovacs said. Kovacs' work is all about using research and data to give players that small edge to improve their performance. He has worked with some of the sport's biggest servers, including former US player John Isner, who set the ATP-recognized record for the fastest serve in 2016, when he blasted a ball 157.2 mph at his opponent. While all eight components of the motion are important to maxing out your serving potential, Kovacs says research does point to particular elements which are required to produce a fast serve. First, there is stage three (the loading), which looks at the player's body position before making contact. Kovacs says the key here is the player's back hip, and how quickly it comes through the motion of serving. Then there is stage five into seven (acceleration, contact and deceleration), which addresses how fast the serving arm moves through the action. 'You hear people talk about a player having a live arm. In the scientific sense, you can actually put a number on that,' he says. 'A lot of coaches will say, 'That guy's just got a live arm. That's why he's able to serve hard but maybe doesn't have the best technique.' 'But actually he does have pretty good technique at that position. He may not have great technique everywhere else, but his ability to get his arm in the right position and move through is the second most important correlation for serve speed.' Albano Olivetti is another current player who uses his huge serve to his advantage. The 33-year-old now focuses mainly on doubles and made it to the second round at this year's Wimbledon. While he never made a huge impact in the singles game during his professional career, one particular moment remains etched into the sport's folklore. At a Challenger Tour event in 2012, Olivetti unleashed the second fastest serve of all-time, sending a 160 mph rocket at his opponent. The mark is not officially recognized by the ATP – men's tennis' governing body – because it wasn't performed at an official ATP event, but it remains something Olivetti is proud of – only former Australian player Sam Groth has served quicker, hitting one at 163.7 mph also in 2012. At this year's Wimbledon, Olivetti's fastest serve was 140 mph, which remains among the highest in the men's game. When asked what makes his technique so powerful, the 6-foot-8 Frenchman initially points to his height as a major factor. Kovacs agrees that there is a distinct correlation between height and a big serve, noting that the best players across the men's and women's games are now getting taller on average – a trend also seen across several other professional sports, such as basketball. 'So, force equals mass times acceleration,' Kovacs tells CNN Sports, explaining why height can make a difference. 'The force is what we're talking about when we're talking about serve speed. Mass is the person's body weight, so being taller typically means you have more body weight. 'And then acceleration is your levers. If your arms and legs are longer, you actually get greater acceleration because you've got it over a slightly longer period of time. 'It's also important to note that being over about 6-foot-6 allows you to hit down on the serve at contact. When you're shorter than that, even though most people don't realize it, you're actually hitting up slightly on the ball when you're serving, they're actually not hitting down and that slight difference makes a big, big difference to speed.' But both Kovacs and Olivetti say that height isn't as big a benefit as some may think – it only gives you a higher ceiling to reach. As someone who has always been taller than most of his opponents, Olivetti says technique always outweighs pure physical attributes and that's why he has worked on his serving skills from an early age. He also says that using the right equipment is important when it comes to finding a big serve, but explains that the search for a fast one sometimes comes at a cost. For example, the racket he previously used, with his preferred string tension, helped create power on his serve but made returning from the baseline more difficult. It's sometimes tricky, he says, to find the balance. 'I was winning on my serve and not winning for the return part,' he tells CNN Sports. 'So then you have to find the right balance again for your game – maybe you prefer to lose speed on your serve and then be comfortable from the baseline, for example. 'I think every player is different, and you really have to find what works for you. Equipment is important for that, I would say.' Moving forward, Olivetti says that serve speed will continue to increase as players look for new ways to refine this vital aspect of the game. Kovacs agrees and says the current crop of players are nowhere near reaching the limit of how fast a human being can serve a tennis ball. He says he can still see untapped potential in several top players – including world No. 1 Jannik Sinner – when it comes to their serving technique, with some leaving as much as 10 mph on the table. While the biomechanics of a serve can offer players some control over improving their technique, Kovacs says that a number of external circumstances can influence the speed on any given day. 'There obviously is a limit, but that is under the assumption that everything stays the same from a standpoint of technology, balls, strings, rackets, and also temperature and environment plays a role,' he says. 'The reason you've seen these faster serves at Wimbledon this year is because the temperature was much hotter and drier the first few days, so the ball comes through the air a little bit faster. So you were getting three, four, five miles an hour more than you would typically see just because of weather conditions.' With the serve becoming increasingly influential in the current game, the records being broken today will likely be surpassed again in the next decade. And, perhaps more importantly, it's still a source of pride and competition for all the big-hitters on tour. 'Yes,' Olivetti says smiling, when asked whether professional players even care about breaking new speed records. 'Always, since I started playing, I was always trying to serve as big as I can.'
CNN
08-07-2025
- Science
- CNN
The secrets behind the world's fastest tennis serves
If you've ever picked up a tennis racket and attempted to serve against an opponent, you'll know just how hard a skill it is. It's one thing to get the ball over the net and yet a whole other thing to even start thinking about speed and accuracy. It's a technique that quickly separates the professionals from the amateurs and a skill which has become increasingly important in the modern game. Nowadays, both men and women are serving faster than ever before, with players regularly reaching service speeds that were once thought to be nearly impossible. At this year's Wimbledon, for example, fans witnessed the fastest serve in the tournament's 148-year history, when Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard unleashed a 153 mph rocket in his first-round match against Taylor Fritz. Perricard is part of a new breed of players who weaponize their powerful asset to significant effect. The 21-year-old is the current world No. 36 but clearly has the power to one day challenge the very best. 'I'm not doing some special technique to have a big serve or a fast serve. I'm just serving like I'm supposed to do. We don't train a lot to be honest, this part of my game. But I mean, it came naturally,' he said. But while Perricard is nonchalant about his superior delivery, there is a science behind what makes his technique so successful. Former tennis player and sports scientist Mark Kovacs has dedicated years to researching the biomechanics behind a tennis serve. Speaking to CNN Sports, he breaks down the technique into eight components: The opening stance, the ball toss, the loading, the coiling, the acceleration, the contact, the deceleration and finally, the finish, which is where the player lands. 'You need synchronized motion. You need all of these stages to hit optimally because you get this summation of forces. It's really called the kinetic chain. You're trying to optimize your kinetic chain, which means how we use the ground up through the body and out into the ball,' Kovacs said. Kovacs' work is all about using research and data to give players that small edge to improve their performance. He has worked with some of the sport's biggest servers, including former US player John Isner, who set the ATP-recognized record for the fastest serve in 2016, when he blasted a ball 157.2 mph at his opponent. While all eight components of the motion are important to maxing out your serving potential, Kovacs says research does point to particular elements which are required to produce a fast serve. First, there is stage three (the loading), which looks at the player's body position before making contact. Kovacs says the key here is the player's back hip, and how quickly it comes through the motion of serving. Then there is stage five into seven (acceleration, contact and deceleration), which addresses how fast the serving arm moves through the action. 'You hear people talk about a player having a live arm. In the scientific sense, you can actually put a number on that,' he says. 'A lot of coaches will say, 'That guy's just got a live arm. That's why he's able to serve hard but maybe doesn't have the best technique.' 'But actually he does have pretty good technique at that position. He may not have great technique everywhere else, but his ability to get his arm in the right position and move through is the second most important correlation for serve speed.' Albano Olivetti is another current player who uses his huge serve to his advantage. The 33-year-old now focuses mainly on doubles and made it to the second round at this year's Wimbledon. While he never made a huge impact in the singles game during his professional career, one particular moment remains etched into the sport's folklore. At a Challenger Tour event in 2012, Olivetti unleashed the second fastest serve of all-time, sending a 160 mph rocket at his opponent. The mark is not officially recognized by the ATP – men's tennis' governing body – because it wasn't performed at an official ATP event, but it remains something Olivetti is proud of – only former Australian player Sam Groth has served quicker, hitting one at 163.7 mph also in 2012. At this year's Wimbledon, Olivetti's fastest serve was 140 mph, which remains among the highest in the men's game. When asked what makes his technique so powerful, the 6-foot-8 Frenchman initially points to his height as a major factor. Kovacs agrees that there is a distinct correlation between height and a big serve, noting that the best players across the men's and women's games are now getting taller on average – a trend also seen across several other professional sports, such as basketball. 'So, force equals mass times acceleration,' Kovacs tells CNN Sports, explaining why height can make a difference. 'The force is what we're talking about when we're talking about serve speed. Mass is the person's body weight, so being taller typically means you have more body weight. 'And then acceleration is your levers. If your arms and legs are longer, you actually get greater acceleration because you've got it over a slightly longer period of time. 'It's also important to note that being over about 6-foot-6 allows you to hit down on the serve at contact. When you're shorter than that, even though most people don't realize it, you're actually hitting up slightly on the ball when you're serving, they're actually not hitting down and that slight difference makes a big, big difference to speed.' But both Kovacs and Olivetti say that height isn't as big a benefit as some may think – it only gives you a higher ceiling to reach. As someone who has always been taller than most of his opponents, Olivetti says technique always outweighs pure physical attributes and that's why he has worked on his serving skills from an early age. He also says that using the right equipment is important when it comes to finding a big serve, but explains that the search for a fast one sometimes comes at a cost. For example, the racket he previously used, with his preferred string tension, helped create power on his serve but made returning from the baseline more difficult. It's sometimes tricky, he says, to find the balance. 'I was winning on my serve and not winning for the return part,' he tells CNN Sports. 'So then you have to find the right balance again for your game – maybe you prefer to lose speed on your serve and then be comfortable from the baseline, for example. 'I think every player is different, and you really have to find what works for you. Equipment is important for that, I would say.' Moving forward, Olivetti says that serve speed will continue to increase as players look for new ways to refine this vital aspect of the game. Kovacs agrees and says the current crop of players are nowhere near reaching the limit of how fast a human being can serve a tennis ball. He says he can still see untapped potential in several top players – including world No. 1 Jannik Sinner – when it comes to their serving technique, with some leaving as much as 10 mph on the table. While the biomechanics of a serve can offer players some control over improving their technique, Kovacs says that a number of external circumstances can influence the speed on any given day. 'There obviously is a limit, but that is under the assumption that everything stays the same from a standpoint of technology, balls, strings, rackets, and also temperature and environment plays a role,' he says. 'The reason you've seen these faster serves at Wimbledon this year is because the temperature was much hotter and drier the first few days, so the ball comes through the air a little bit faster. So you were getting three, four, five miles an hour more than you would typically see just because of weather conditions.' With the serve becoming increasingly influential in the current game, the records being broken today will likely be surpassed again in the next decade. And, perhaps more importantly, it's still a source of pride and competition for all the big-hitters on tour. 'Yes,' Olivetti says smiling, when asked whether professional players even care about breaking new speed records. 'Always, since I started playing, I was always trying to serve as big as I can.'
CNN
08-07-2025
- Science
- CNN
The secrets behind the world's fastest tennis serves
If you've ever picked up a tennis racket and attempted to serve against an opponent, you'll know just how hard a skill it is. It's one thing to get the ball over the net and yet a whole other thing to even start thinking about speed and accuracy. It's a technique that quickly separates the professionals from the amateurs and a skill which has become increasingly important in the modern game. Nowadays, both men and women are serving faster than ever before, with players regularly reaching service speeds that were once thought to be nearly impossible. At this year's Wimbledon, for example, fans witnessed the fastest serve in the tournament's 148-year history, when Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard unleashed a 153 mph rocket in his first-round match against Taylor Fritz. Perricard is part of a new breed of players who weaponize their powerful asset to significant effect. The 21-year-old is the current world No. 36 but clearly has the power to one day challenge the very best. 'I'm not doing some special technique to have a big serve or a fast serve. I'm just serving like I'm supposed to do. We don't train a lot to be honest, this part of my game. But I mean, it came naturally,' he said. But while Perricard is nonchalant about his superior delivery, there is a science behind what makes his technique so successful. Former tennis player and sports scientist Mark Kovacs has dedicated years to researching the biomechanics behind a tennis serve. Speaking to CNN Sports, he breaks down the technique into eight components: The opening stance, the ball toss, the loading, the coiling, the acceleration, the contact, the deceleration and finally, the finish, which is where the player lands. 'You need synchronized motion. You need all of these stages to hit optimally because you get this summation of forces. It's really called the kinetic chain. You're trying to optimize your kinetic chain, which means how we use the ground up through the body and out into the ball,' Kovacs said. Kovacs' work is all about using research and data to give players that small edge to improve their performance. He has worked with some of the sport's biggest servers, including former US player John Isner, who set the ATP-recognized record for the fastest serve in 2016, when he blasted a ball 157.2 mph at his opponent. While all eight components of the motion are important to maxing out your serving potential, Kovacs says research does point to particular elements which are required to produce a fast serve. First, there is stage three (the loading), which looks at the player's body position before making contact. Kovacs says the key here is the player's back hip, and how quickly it comes through the motion of serving. Then there is stage five into seven (acceleration, contact and deceleration), which addresses how fast the serving arm moves through the action. 'You hear people talk about a player having a live arm. In the scientific sense, you can actually put a number on that,' he says. 'A lot of coaches will say, 'That guy's just got a live arm. That's why he's able to serve hard but maybe doesn't have the best technique.' 'But actually he does have pretty good technique at that position. He may not have great technique everywhere else, but his ability to get his arm in the right position and move through is the second most important correlation for serve speed.' Albano Olivetti is another current player who uses his huge serve to his advantage. The 33-year-old now focuses mainly on doubles and made it to the second round at this year's Wimbledon. While he never made a huge impact in the singles game during his professional career, one particular moment remains etched into the sport's folklore. At a Challenger Tour event in 2012, Olivetti unleashed the second fastest serve of all-time, sending a 160 mph rocket at his opponent. The mark is not officially recognized by the ATP – men's tennis' governing body – because it wasn't performed at an official ATP event, but it remains something Olivetti is proud of – only former Australian player Sam Groth has served quicker, hitting one at 163.7 mph also in 2012. At this year's Wimbledon, Olivetti's fastest serve was 140 mph, which remains among the highest in the men's game. When asked what makes his technique so powerful, the 6-foot-8 Frenchman initially points to his height as a major factor. Kovacs agrees that there is a distinct correlation between height and a big serve, noting that the best players across the men's and women's games are now getting taller on average – a trend also seen across several other professional sports, such as basketball. 'So, force equals mass times acceleration,' Kovacs tells CNN Sports, explaining why height can make a difference. 'The force is what we're talking about when we're talking about serve speed. Mass is the person's body weight, so being taller typically means you have more body weight. 'And then acceleration is your levers. If your arms and legs are longer, you actually get greater acceleration because you've got it over a slightly longer period of time. 'It's also important to note that being over about 6-foot-6 allows you to hit down on the serve at contact. When you're shorter than that, even though most people don't realize it, you're actually hitting up slightly on the ball when you're serving, they're actually not hitting down and that slight difference makes a big, big difference to speed.' But both Kovacs and Olivetti say that height isn't as big a benefit as some may think – it only gives you a higher ceiling to reach. As someone who has always been taller than most of his opponents, Olivetti says technique always outweighs pure physical attributes and that's why he has worked on his serving skills from an early age. He also says that using the right equipment is important when it comes to finding a big serve, but explains that the search for a fast one sometimes comes at a cost. For example, the racket he previously used, with his preferred string tension, helped create power on his serve but made returning from the baseline more difficult. It's sometimes tricky, he says, to find the balance. 'I was winning on my serve and not winning for the return part,' he tells CNN Sports. 'So then you have to find the right balance again for your game – maybe you prefer to lose speed on your serve and then be comfortable from the baseline, for example. 'I think every player is different, and you really have to find what works for you. Equipment is important for that, I would say.' Moving forward, Olivetti says that serve speed will continue to increase as players look for new ways to refine this vital aspect of the game. Kovacs agrees and says the current crop of players are nowhere near reaching the limit of how fast a human being can serve a tennis ball. He says he can still see untapped potential in several top players – including world No. 1 Jannik Sinner – when it comes to their serving technique, with some leaving as much as 10 mph on the table. While the biomechanics of a serve can offer players some control over improving their technique, Kovacs says that a number of external circumstances can influence the speed on any given day. 'There obviously is a limit, but that is under the assumption that everything stays the same from a standpoint of technology, balls, strings, rackets, and also temperature and environment plays a role,' he says. 'The reason you've seen these faster serves at Wimbledon this year is because the temperature was much hotter and drier the first few days, so the ball comes through the air a little bit faster. So you were getting three, four, five miles an hour more than you would typically see just because of weather conditions.' With the serve becoming increasingly influential in the current game, the records being broken today will likely be surpassed again in the next decade. And, perhaps more importantly, it's still a source of pride and competition for all the big-hitters on tour. 'Yes,' Olivetti says smiling, when asked whether professional players even care about breaking new speed records. 'Always, since I started playing, I was always trying to serve as big as I can.'
