Why You Don't Want Super Speed

Super speed is one of the coolest super powers in comics because of heroes like the Flash, but would it really be that great in real life? Kyle has the fast facts on this week's Because Science!

Because Science every Thursday.

Artist: Andrew Bowser

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[becausescience]

This one was a lot of fun. Keep up the nerdy comments so I can feature them in the next vlog! Let me know if these "You Don't Want ____" episodes come off too negative, because that's not what I want. Also, I have something very special for you all next week...like...really special and awesome and I'm psyched for you to see it.

[Slade]

Speed force is the ultimate plot armor of Flash , nullifying all ill effects

[adrielreyes]

Super power: exist
Kid: I wish I had those powers...
Because science:
Here is why you don't want to do that...

[janasheenhaider]

I just watched a guy crushing my dreams for 14 minutes straight

[ThebestGoalkeeper_]

The super speed the flash has is because of the speed force, it also protects him and the people he touches from dying because of "speed force protection"

[redskies]

Surprised he never mentions the amount of calories a human body would need to sustain that much energy

[我的家-jb]

Having Thor Odinson explain the science of why super speed would be detrimental while writing backwards perfectly is something I didn't know I needed.

[raaida]

Random speedster going on a run:
Housefly: *im about to end this man’s whole career*

[TheLostZer]

13:33 That scared the hell out of me. I was passively listening and didn’t expect him to call me out like that

[freshvexmilk]

fun fact: if you travel a sizeable portion of the speed of light, the air molecules in the atmosphere would not have enough time to move out of the way, (much like the compression, only more... spectacular) so fusion would occur at the points of contact, triggering nuclear explosions. how fun

[hangingwithhangr]

Oh well. So who’s gonna help me build the particle accelerator?

[MrThankman]

The ability for this dude to write backwards is impressive.

[franciscocota]

With my nerdiest friends, we loved to find downsides to superpowers, such as superspeeds issues with inertia on our inner organs, friction on our skin, or just around us. Or Superstrenght's problem of not having super bone mass.

[God-Level-Threat]

Actually, speed like the flash wouldn't be that bad, considering the Speed Force negates all negative effects.

[ScruFaceJeanOfficial]

This video is exactly why the Flash trippin in the Justice League Snyder Cut movie makes NO SENSE....that is all.

[MatterBeamTSF]

Another 'side power' you'd need for super speed is ... super-downforce.
Your horizontal acceleration is limited by how much force you can apply on the ground.
You can't apply more force on the ground than your own weight in Newtons.
Therefore, the only way to reach faster speeds is to increase the downforce!

Maybe speedsters need massive spoilers like F1 cars.

[Ghostark-mely]

The speed force has a protective field to stop you from dying instantly plus the field also makes it easier to see and protects everyone else you touch for that amount of time

[zachsin]

The flash doesn’t just have speed he has a multi dimensional force protecting him from friction and drag and other forces

[coeal]

Invincible had a superhero thats basically flash. and, i loved how this guy is so downbeat because of his power. he explains to his girlfriend that, because of his speed, and perception of time as a result, EVERYTHING moves in super, super slow motion. like, one word from her, to him, takes a full minute.
and i just realized. they think his power is super speed, but its actually time. time moves painfully slow for him. making him appear to be moving fast

[im_notaperson]

One thing that has always confused me is how speedsters like the Flash don't go insane due to their perception of time.