07/30/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1HqDwbnH2n/
It’s official (again)! 🚲
Scientific American has revisited one of its most iconic findings and reached the same conclusion: the bicycle remains the most energy-efficient mode of travel on Earth, more than 50 years on.
The 1973 data was striking then and remains striking now: cycling requires just a fifth of the energy that walking does, putting it first in efficiency above all animals and all machines.
The simple genius lies in coasting - unlike walking, you don't need constant energy expenditure. This very idea inspired Steve Jobs to famously call computers "bicycles for our minds."
Fast forward to today, and the science still holds up. The updated 2025 analysis calls a human on a bike a "hyperefficient terrestrial locomotor," noting that cycling makes being on land almost as effortless as swimming is in water.
But perhaps the most powerful takeaway is how relevant the original conclusion remains. As the 1973 essay stated, the bicycle "can be regarded as the most benevolent of machines" as it demands few resources, reduces pollution, and improves health.
For a better world, the prescription is simple: "Cycle and recycle."
When was the last time you enjoyed a bike ride?
