Rowing and universities have gone hand in hand for over 150 years. Yet only now do we have the tools and knowledge to examine exactly which muscles drive the rowing stroke. “Thus we can analyse the rowing stroke in detail,” says postdoc Tom van Wouwe.

They’re becoming more and more common: large sea-going vessels with short, thick masts. These masts rotate on their axis, generating thrust, which saves fuel and reduces CO₂ emissions. A research programme in Delft is exploring this technology.