From the archives: Fastest

The fastest objects ever made by humans; the water speed record that has stood for forty-four years; the fastest premiere-to-clip-show in TV history; and the fastest-moving plant in the world.

Parker Solar Probe launch
Parker Solar Probe launch
NASA/Bill Ingalls [Public domain]

The Parker Solar Probe is the fastest object ever made by humans; a previous record-holder was a steel plate (probably) fired into space by an atomic bomb blast.


Spirit of Australia
Robertsf2012, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forty-four years ago an Australian strapped a jet engine to the top of a boat and set the water speed record. That record still stands today.


Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The second episode of Kevin Smith’s Clerks: The Animated Series was a clip show that recapped the first episode – although that first episode never actually aired. And it was also the series finale.


Mulberry
White mulberry
Suyash Dwivedi / CC BY-SA

The stamen of a white mulberry flower is a natural catapult – making it the fastest plant in the world.

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