The first time I saw slipstreaming in action with professional cyclists, I was in awe. The competitors were riding inches away from each other; when the lead rider would swerve left or right, the pursuers would immediately follow suit. The physics behind what appears on the surface to be sheer daredevil antics are quite solid: the cyclists riding directly behind the leader are benefitting from reduced air and wind resistance. On a larger scale, a peloton (the French term for a pack of riders) be...