This episode is all about how our skeletal muscles can take us from point A to point B! Norm, Shaun and Terence are joined by fellow medical student Jasper, who has a honours degree in skeletal muscle physiology to talk about how these voluntary muscles can contract and what molecules are involved.  Shout-out to Ben Earner! FUN FACT: The ryanodine receptor is activated by caffeine and no one knows exactly how (except maybe Norm). Content covered in this episode includes:  - The process of excitation-contraction coupling, including action potential propagation, the roles of ATP and calcium and the sarcomere.  - The length-tension curve relationship and the difference between active and passive tension - Motor unit recruitment patterns and muscle fibre types  - Dexterity vs strength   - The myotactic (catch) and inverse myotactic (drop) reflexes --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shaun--norm-and-terence/message