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August 23, 2013

Strange But True!

Q. In the wide-open Animal Olympics, where might we humans pick up a gold medal or two? a) sprinting b) long-distance running c) weight-lifting d) jumping e) throwing f) gymnastics

A. Forget sprinting, weight-lifting, gymnastics and jumping, since “pound for pound, a chimp is about four times as strong as a human, our jumping and gymnastic abilities are similarly weak, and we are sluggish sprinters,” says Graham Lawton in New Scientist magazine. But there are two areas where humans could contest for gold: long-distance running and throwing. At marathons, a well-conditioned athlete can do 12 mph for several hours, comparable to a wild dog, zebra, antelope or wildebeest. “This talent of ours depends on special adaptations of the feet, legs, hips, spine, even the rib cage. We are specialized for long-distance running, perhaps as an early adaptation for hunting or scavenging.”


 
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