A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h (60 mph) in just 3 seconds, faster than most sports cars.
Why it is true
However, this incredible speed comes at a cost; cheetahs overheat quickly and can only maintain a sprint for about 20 to 30 seconds before needing to rest.
Source: Zoology
Would you rather be asked first?
This is the reading side of the site, so the answer is in the sentence above — that is the whole point of it. Test yourself works the other way round: the question comes on its own, and the fact and the explanation only appear once you have answered.
Related facts
The mantis shrimp punches with the speed of a bullet.
A chameleon's tongue can extend up to twice the length of its body in a fraction of a second.
The cheetah roars like the lion and the tiger.
The sailfish is the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching 110 kilometres per hour.