Whether it is on land, air or sea, speed is essential for many reasons. Hunting for your next meal or escaping from a set of sharp teeth all require speed and lots of it.
Whilst this is no longer a requirement for most humans, the fastest human is Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt: top speed of approximately 44.2kph (27.5mph) achieved at the IAAF World Championships in 2009. He ran 100 metres in a world-record time of 9.58 seconds that day - a time yet to be beaten.
Fastest land mammal (on four legs): the cheetah. These magnificent cats can accelerate up to 94kph (58.4mph) in under 3 seconds thanks to their powerful leg muscles and slender bodies.
Fastest insect (on land): the tiger beetle - Cicindela hudsoni. At 20mm long, the Australian tiger beetle's top speed of 9kph (5.5mph) doesn't sound that quick. But when you consider that this means it travels the equivalent of 125 times its body length every second, it becomes rather more impressive.
Fastest insect (in flight): the male horsefly - Hybomitra distinguenda. The fastest flying insect in the world reaches speeds of up to 145kph (90mph). The fly itself is easily distinguished by its colourful orange markings on its abdomen and is found all over the world - apart from in polar regions.
Fastest diving bird: The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird on earth when in a hunting dive (known as a 'stoop'), hitting a massive 389kph (242mph) when in full flow. This top speed also makes it the fastest animal on the planet. They can dive this fast by tucking their feet under their bodies to minimise drag and form a teardrop shape with their wings. They also have special structures inside their noses, known as tubercles, which slow down the rate of airflow through their nostrils during a dive. This allows them to breathe even at very high speed.
Fastest bird (in flight): the white-throated needletail - Hirundapus caudacutus. The white-throated needletail is potentially the fastest bird in horizontal flight, although this has never been officially verified. It is said to be able to reach speeds of over 170kph (105mph), which if proven would mean that is it faster than a golden eagle or gyrfalcon. The bird itself is a type of swift, albeit bigger with a very narrow tail (hence its name). It is a migratory bird that travels over huge distances.
Fastest bird (on land): The ostrich is the fastest bird on two legs, which can reach up to 70kph (45mph) on land. Ostriches raise their small wings to aid stability and use their long legs and powerful muscles to outrun many of their predators.
Fastest fish: The fastest swimming fish in the world is the black marlin, with an estimated top speed of 129kph (80mph).