Horsepower with Dr. Sarah White-Springer

About This Episode

Say it with us: mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell. On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly discover the original horse power, equine physiology, and the science behind the Kentucky Derby. 

How do you get a horse to run fast? We break down how humans built society on the backs of horses and the different organelles inside of cells. What sort of research is happening on horses’ metabolism? We talk about the VO2 max and splenic contractions of equine athletes. Find out how horses blood dope themselves. Can horses altitude train? Learn about respiratory coupling and other horse-facts that’ll have you going Neighhh!

Can you carbo load a horse? How do you even get the horse to race? You can lead a horse to water, but can you get them to strength train? Learn about glycogen storage and the different ways people try to optimize their horses and the ethics behind it. How do you dope a horse? Sarah runs us through the dangerous ways that people try to enhance their horses and Chuck tells us about sewing testicles on a goat for some reason…

Learn about some of the research going into equine physiology and grow your understanding of how horses run so effectively. Sarah trots us through the sport of dressage, also known as horse dancing. How do you know if you have a dancing horse or a running horse? We explore how the horse’s back and tendons coil and how it compares to other runners in the animal world. Chuck gives us his pitch for a new TV competition “Dancing with the Mares” and his donkey dressage movie. 

Thanks to our Patrons Cosmic Scapegoat, Tom Kearns, Valeri Williams, Zeki Majed, Ethan Fink, Mariano Quiroga, John Marc Roberson, Fredrik Östervald, Crimson, and Colt for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.