Snail Racing Science: Why Studying Slime Is a Big Deal

Snail Racing Science: Why Studying Slime Is a Big Deal

From Wildly Curious by Katy Reiss & Laura Fawks Lapole

January 13, 2026 · 13 min · Season 13 · Episode 8

About this episode

Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the science behind snail racing and its implications for understanding movement and survival.

Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to root for the slowest athletes on Earth. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the bizarre but brilliant world of snail racing—and the scientists who study it to unlock secrets of movement, slime, and survival. Every summer in England, snails compete in the World Snail Racing Championships. It sounds ridiculous… until you realize researchers are using these races to study animal locomotion, non...

People in this episode

Hosts: Katy Reiss, Laura Fawks Lapole

Topics covered

  • snail racing
  • animal locomotion
  • scientific research
  • movement
  • slime
  • survival

Keywords

  • snail racing
  • animal locomotion
  • slime
  • survival
  • scientific research
  • England

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