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A cat leaps. A child jumps

An elephant, never

Too heavy for its own strength

When size doubles, mass follows volume: it multiplies by 8

Force only multiplies by 4

Each kilogram gets less and less thrust to lift it

Jumping demands a deep crouch, then an explosive thrust greater than body weight

But its lower-leg muscles are thin

The fastest speed on record: about 25 km/h

At a walk, the limbs bend

Other large mammals do leave the ground

Over 2,400 strides measured across 62 elephants, always at least one foot on the ground

It's a run without flight