As you know (?) Olympic Games has begun and browsing various articles I stumbled upon the one about the limits in sport. Generally, scientists, at least those mentioned in the article agree that we are near the limits and if people would want to beat records in some disciplines genetic intervention will be required. For example male's record in 100 metres is now 9,59, but it is presumed that human male can't run faster than circa 9,48, considering that he's not a cyborg and wind isn't too strong of course. He can't, because our brain can't "let" our muscles and tendons do damage to themselves. Similarly in other disciplines, like high jump and long jump - experts generally agree that it is next to impossible that record, if beaten, will be spectacular. It's possible that somebody will jump 2,47 or 8,96, but certainly results like 2,80 or 9,50 are not possible. There are calculations, that in marathon, where record oscillates around 2 hours 3 mins, we will go down to 2 hours, some time around 2021. But 1:45? Not possible. They set the absolute limit for 1:58, because it appears that human body can't process more energy into muscle power.
However, as logical as it sounds, there are exceptions. The brain blockade can be bypassed under certain condition, like immense fear or stress. Humans are technically capable of running faster, jumping further and lifting more weigh under such circumstances, however it means damage which will become perceptible when chemistry in body will return to normality. Now, do we face new kind of doping where people will be stuffed with hormons inducing extreme fear, run 100 metres in 9 secs, only to find a couple of hours later that their legs are completely crushed inside. But how insignificant it is when you have gold medal dangling on your neck.
Limits of human endurance
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Limits of human endurance
"As you have noticed over the years, we are not angry people." (itebygur)
Re: Limits of human endurance
I wonder if the calculations of the scientist are correct? I'm pretty sure there were always calculations like that and in the 1950s there were people that said/calculated that it would not be possible to run 100 metres faster than in 10 seconds. Dont't get me wrong, I think there are limits too, but I'm not sure you can exactly calculate them. And I don't think we will see the kind of doping you describe. More probably we will see "techno doping", which means that the best material wins. Similar to the situation we had in swimming some years ago when it was all about the suits.
[quote="eMTe"]I dont think trying to pass the screen in computer game once per 500 tries makes you a geek. Rather a dangerous psychopath.[/quote]
Re: Limits of human endurance
You think what I think. Usain Bolt may be the fastest man on Earth, but after all he is just a product of millions of years of human evolution. What makes scientists assured that 2050's human won't run 9 secs without genetic or medicinal support? Muscles evolve, just like humans in general.Pater Alf wrote:I'm pretty sure there were always calculations like that and in the 1950s there were people that said/calculated that it would not be possible to run 100 metres faster than in 10 seconds.
"As you have noticed over the years, we are not angry people." (itebygur)
Re: Limits of human endurance
Written by some guy in another forum:
"We may also become such a drug driven society that the moral qualms and legal barriers that go along with the current dynamic cease to exist and everyone everywhere is doping."
Anyway, you probably know Oscar Pistorius, the guy who runs 400 metres with prosthetic legs. He didn't qualify to the final just a couple of minutes ago, but for the first time somebody with prosthetics was allowed to compete in Olympic Games. Somebody decided that his artificial limbs, even if they were created by a genius engineer don't create an advantage (proved to be true as he was last in his semifinal), merely giving him a false hope that he competes on normal terms with healthy humans. But the rule was broken. Does it create an opportunity for future abuse?
"We may also become such a drug driven society that the moral qualms and legal barriers that go along with the current dynamic cease to exist and everyone everywhere is doping."
Anyway, you probably know Oscar Pistorius, the guy who runs 400 metres with prosthetic legs. He didn't qualify to the final just a couple of minutes ago, but for the first time somebody with prosthetics was allowed to compete in Olympic Games. Somebody decided that his artificial limbs, even if they were created by a genius engineer don't create an advantage (proved to be true as he was last in his semifinal), merely giving him a false hope that he competes on normal terms with healthy humans. But the rule was broken. Does it create an opportunity for future abuse?
"As you have noticed over the years, we are not angry people." (itebygur)