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The ability
to survive freezing temperatures
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through sheer force of will.
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Ancient traditions
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that protect the body from pain.
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And extraordinary adventurers
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who risk their lives
to defy the limits.
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How are certain individuals
able to perform
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incredible physical feats
of strength, speed, or stamina
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that most of us
could never dream of doing?
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Is it simply a combination of
natural talent and training?
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Or do some people tap
into mysterious forces
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when they achieve things
that seem almost
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superhuman?
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Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.
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Central Iceland.
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Here, not far from
a massive glacier
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where temperatures average
just above freezing,
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a man has decided to sit
outside in the cold
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for over an hour,
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wearing only a pair of shorts.
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His name is Wim Hof.
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And although
most people would die
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if they attempted such a feat,
he finds it quite relaxing.
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Wim has made a great
impression on the world
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because of his
extraordinary ability
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to withstand
freezing temperatures.
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His exploits have earned him
the nickname "The Iceman."
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The most challenging
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aspect of going into the cold
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is your fear.
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Control your fear
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and let the body do
what the body is capable of.
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All the doctors said,
"You are the Iceman.
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"You are a freak of nature.
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"You are an abnormality.
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You are a superhuman."
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But I'm as human as any person,
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only I am challenging
my body and mind
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in nature.
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Wim has performed a
number of feats that, on the surface,
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seem impossible,
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such as climbing Mount Everest
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wearing nothing
but shorts and shoes,
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and spending nearly two hours
fully immersed in an ice bath.
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But what motivated Wim to
learn how to brave the cold,
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in the first place?
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As a young kid,
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I was very interested in
anything that was strange...
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and stories and deeds of people
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going into the
unknown, so-called.
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And when I was 17, I began
to go in freezing temperatures.
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And there I found
a deep connection
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with my body, with
my god, with a depth.
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And that is now 45 years ago.
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And since then,
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I have never skipped a
day going into the cold.
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In these
ungodly, below-freezing temperatures,
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your average person
can freeze to death
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in less than 30 minutes.
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It's not an environment
that's suitable for humans.
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So with Wim Hof, his
ability to withstand cold
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is really extraordinary.
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It just makes
absolutely no sense.
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For an ordinary person,
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attempting these feats would
result in almost certain death.
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And yet Wim Hof
doesn't just survive
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in frigid temperatures,
he seems to thrive in them.
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But how?
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Well, according to Wim Hof,
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this ability doesn't
come from his body
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but rather from his mind.
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If we follow the breath...
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then the mind begins to cease.
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I learned how to
tap into my brain,
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to have a much greater control
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than doctors
thought was possible.
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When I go in a brain
scan or in a fMRI,
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and they put cold
water upon my skin
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with a skin temperature
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measurement device,
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I'm able to raise...
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my skin temperature
so much that the cold water
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is making my skin
temperature not going down.
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That means that
through the psychology,
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I caused something
physiologically.
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Wim Hof's work is being
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widely studied right now
in academic settings...
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and what's being found is that
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he can get into a kind of
transpersonal mental state
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where the body is freed
from perceived limitations,
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making him more resilient
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and capable of acts
of greater stamina.
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We're coming to a
whole new realization
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of the powers of the
mind over the body.
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Could Wim
Hof's mind be able to regulate
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his body's ability to withstand
freezing temperatures?
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Many experts
believe it's possible.
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And as evidence, they point to
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an ancient Tibetan breathing
technique known as "tummo,"
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which, if done properly,
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can raise a person's
body temperature.
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Tummo was first
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described in the 11th century
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and what it translates
to is "inner fire."
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And the practice is
meditation guided breathing
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where they literally imagine
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that their spine is on fire
and they can feel this flame
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going from their deep inside
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all the way to the
top of their head.
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And it's believed
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that they can raise their
core body temperature
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and feel that heat
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by practicing this meditation
and breathing strategy.
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Tummo gave them control
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to be able to withstand
elements and inner control
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amidst this external chaos.
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Through
this meditative practice,
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you're literally able
to heat up your body
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so you can withstand
cold temperatures.
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Harvard scientists were able
to document Tibetan monks
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doing their tummo meditation.
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So here they are,
stripped naked to the waist,
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with sheets over them
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in a very, very cold room
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and the body heat that
they're able to generate
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literally makes steam
come off the sheets.
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It's as if they're covered
in a hot, wet blanket,
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but they're doing it internally.
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It's a technique developed
about a thousand years ago
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among Tibetan monks
in the Himalayas,
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but it's a technique
that anyone can use.
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Anyone can be
taught how to do this.
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If tummo can
unlock the mind's capacity
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to control body temperature,
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then it naturally
begs the question,
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what other incredible
abilities do our minds possess?
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Well, in the case of Wim Hof,
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it appears that he has
taken his mental powers
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to the next level in order
to actually heal his body.
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15 years ago, Wim
ran a half marathon barefoot in the snow.
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After the half marathon,
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one of the medics, um,
examined his foot and said,
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"Hey, this is,
this is pretty bad."
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And said, "He has
irreparable damage:
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third-degree frostbite."
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And Wim just was so mad.
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He just felt like he could
do something to heal it.
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So Wim was able to start
healing his frostbitten foot
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by doing his normal
breathing exercises
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that he had been doing for years
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and focusing and visualizing
his foot being healed.
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And over a month and a half...
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it did get better.
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The skin healed completely.
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The "irreparable damage,"
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that he was not supposed
to come back from, was gone.
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Is it really possible
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that Wim Hof is
simply using his mind
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to perform these
superhuman feats?
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While that idea may
sound far-fetched,
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Wim is just the latest
in a long line of people
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possessing such
remarkable abilities.
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The concepts that
Wim Hof is using
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go back to ancient yogic
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practices within Vedic
or Hindu tradition...
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that are sometimes
called siddhis.
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For example, in
yogic literature,
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you will find records of
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different yogis or meditators
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who are able to lift
enormous weights...
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or go for extraordinary
periods of time
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without food, without water,
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without breathing.
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There are some yogic traditions
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in which people are
able to pierce the body
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or lay on beds of nails
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or walk across coals
without experiencing pain
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or without being
disabled by injury.
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Could the ability
to suppress pain
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or even to heal our bodies
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be connected to our thoughts?
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It's an exciting notion.
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And it also makes you wonder
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is it possible for anyone
to unlock such powers?
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I don't think
everything Wim does
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can be explained by science...
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yet.
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But he is superhuman,
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in a way that he
challenges us to
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find that part in us, too.
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We have a much
more possible control
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over our mind and body
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than meets the eye.
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We can learn to raise
our capacity to endure
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pain and to tackle
biological stress.
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And that is there for anybody.
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Through your mind,
you are able to go
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further than you
have ever been before.
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So, if we all just figured out
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how to unlock the
power of our minds,
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would there be no limit to
what our bodies could do?
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Well, what if I told you
there are people out there
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who can push themselves
to run hundreds of miles
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without stopping?
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In this small town,
in the heart of Marin County,
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lives world-renowned
ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes.
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And by all accounts,
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he was born to run.
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00:11:13,917 --> 00:11:16,167
My earliest
childhood recollections
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are running home from school
when I was in kindergarten.
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Uh, literally, I remember
sitting in the classroom
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just waiting for
the bell to ring.
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00:11:24,583 --> 00:11:26,667
And as soon as
that jingle went off,
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I was out of there.
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00:11:29,042 --> 00:11:30,500
I felt like, when I was running,
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00:11:30,625 --> 00:11:33,042
I felt most alive,
like, most complete.
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It's hard to describe, but
I just remember the way
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the air used to feel on my skin
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and the leaves changing color.
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00:11:40,583 --> 00:11:43,042
I just started relating to
the world through running.
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00:11:44,375 --> 00:11:47,208
Dean's somewhat of
an icon in the running community
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00:11:47,333 --> 00:11:51,500
in the sense that he can
do things other people can't.
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00:11:51,583 --> 00:11:53,167
Dean's definitely a superman
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00:11:53,292 --> 00:11:57,708
in terms of being able
to run long distances
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00:11:57,875 --> 00:12:00,125
repetitive days, back-to-back.
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00:12:01,875 --> 00:12:03,083
Among Dean's many
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00:12:03,208 --> 00:12:05,125
record-breaking
running achievements
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00:12:05,250 --> 00:12:09,167
are completing 50 marathons
in 50 consecutive days,
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00:12:09,250 --> 00:12:12,667
running 135 miles
across Death Valley...
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00:12:12,792 --> 00:12:15,167
One of the hottest
regions on Earth...
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00:12:15,292 --> 00:12:20,875
And accomplishing a
75-day, 3,000-mile run
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00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,333
across the entire United States.
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00:12:25,792 --> 00:12:27,792
But perhaps his most
incredible achievement
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00:12:27,917 --> 00:12:30,792
occurred on October 12, 2005...
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00:12:31,875 --> 00:12:36,792
when Dean ran 350
miles without stopping.
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00:12:37,958 --> 00:12:41,708
I think I decided to run 350
miles nonstop out of curiosity.
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00:12:41,875 --> 00:12:43,208
I want wanted to see
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00:12:43,375 --> 00:12:45,292
how far I could push
my body and my mind.
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00:12:45,417 --> 00:12:47,083
And I completed it.
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00:12:47,208 --> 00:12:50,833
It took me 80 hours and 44
minutes of continuous running.
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00:12:52,042 --> 00:12:54,417
Three days straight without
stopping to eat or sleep.
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00:12:56,875 --> 00:12:59,167
Dean's feats are astounding,
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00:12:59,250 --> 00:13:02,375
and he's arguably the
greatest athlete in the history
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00:13:02,542 --> 00:13:05,083
of what is called ultrarunning.
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00:13:05,208 --> 00:13:08,250
Ultrarunning
is any distance running
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00:13:08,375 --> 00:13:10,667
that goes further
than the marathon.
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00:13:10,792 --> 00:13:13,542
So it could be
anything from 30 miles
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00:13:13,667 --> 00:13:15,000
all the way up to races
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00:13:15,125 --> 00:13:17,875
that are hundreds or
even thousands of miles.
250
00:13:18,833 --> 00:13:20,958
The six-day race
was the precursor
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00:13:21,083 --> 00:13:23,042
to modern ultramarathon running.
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00:13:23,167 --> 00:13:26,542
It originated in the
1700s in England.
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These athletes tried to cover
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00:13:28,375 --> 00:13:31,958
as much distance as they
possibly could in six days.
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00:13:32,042 --> 00:13:35,167
So they would sleep
as little as possible,
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00:13:35,333 --> 00:13:39,167
often only getting an hour or
two of sleep during each day,
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00:13:39,292 --> 00:13:42,042
to try and cover as much
distance as possible.
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00:13:43,208 --> 00:13:46,333
Early on, these athletes
would run 400 and 500 miles.
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00:13:47,417 --> 00:13:51,167
But in 1888 George
Littlewood set a new record
260
00:13:51,292 --> 00:13:55,000
for the six-day challenge,
covering 623 miles.
261
00:13:55,125 --> 00:13:59,917
So that's over 100 miles a
day of running or walking.
262
00:14:00,875 --> 00:14:02,708
That was so good
263
00:14:02,833 --> 00:14:05,417
that that record
almost stood 100 years,
264
00:14:05,542 --> 00:14:07,333
until Yiannis Kouros,
265
00:14:07,458 --> 00:14:09,417
a Greek runner who
was one of the best
266
00:14:09,542 --> 00:14:12,542
ultrarunners in
history, finally broke it.
267
00:14:12,667 --> 00:14:16,167
So that gives you an indication
of how good these athletes are.
268
00:14:18,042 --> 00:14:19,500
But it's not just athletes
269
00:14:19,625 --> 00:14:23,042
who choose to run such
mind-boggling distances.
270
00:14:23,208 --> 00:14:25,958
In fact, there's an
entire community
271
00:14:26,042 --> 00:14:29,292
that runs just as far as
ultramarathoners do...
272
00:14:30,542 --> 00:14:34,500
and they've been doing
it for thousands of years.
273
00:14:40,292 --> 00:14:43,708
Here in this harsh region
of 10,000 foot plateaus,
274
00:14:43,833 --> 00:14:46,833
far from modern civilization,
275
00:14:46,958 --> 00:14:50,583
live a group of people
known as the Rarámuri.
276
00:14:52,125 --> 00:14:53,708
Descended from a
prehistoric society
277
00:14:53,833 --> 00:14:55,375
of foragers and hunters,
278
00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:59,500
the Rarámuri still live in
relatively primitive conditions.
279
00:14:59,583 --> 00:15:04,792
But incredibly, they
possess a unique ability to run
280
00:15:04,875 --> 00:15:08,042
for hundreds of
miles in a single day.
281
00:15:08,167 --> 00:15:11,500
The name
Rarámuri seems to be derived from
282
00:15:11,625 --> 00:15:13,833
meaning "those who run fast."
283
00:15:13,917 --> 00:15:16,833
So, not surprisingly,
the Rarámuri are known
284
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,083
as exceptional
long-distance runners,
285
00:15:19,208 --> 00:15:21,667
far in excess of what
most people think
286
00:15:21,750 --> 00:15:23,333
people should be able to do.
287
00:15:24,583 --> 00:15:26,667
They have running
competitions and running rituals
288
00:15:26,792 --> 00:15:30,375
that would put a lot of other
long-distance runners to shame.
289
00:15:31,417 --> 00:15:33,750
They don't have the
modern accoutrements
290
00:15:33,875 --> 00:15:34,958
or modern sneakers.
291
00:15:35,042 --> 00:15:36,500
They tend to run
in either sandals
292
00:15:36,625 --> 00:15:38,167
or barefoot.
293
00:15:38,292 --> 00:15:42,250
And they do this as a
big part of their culture.
294
00:15:44,792 --> 00:15:46,250
Since the dawn of mankind,
295
00:15:46,375 --> 00:15:48,458
our ability to run for
a long period of time
296
00:15:48,583 --> 00:15:51,375
has given humans
a great advantage...
297
00:15:52,708 --> 00:15:54,893
especially when it came to
hunting and searching for food.
298
00:15:54,917 --> 00:15:58,000
Humans are one
of the best long-distance runners
299
00:15:58,167 --> 00:15:59,708
in the entire animal kingdom.
300
00:15:59,875 --> 00:16:04,958
We could actually run down
things like deer and antelope.
301
00:16:05,042 --> 00:16:07,125
We're not as fast
in the short run,
302
00:16:07,208 --> 00:16:09,000
but in terms of
long-distance running,
303
00:16:09,083 --> 00:16:11,208
a human being
could, theoretically,
304
00:16:11,333 --> 00:16:14,208
run down just about
any animal on Earth.
305
00:16:15,708 --> 00:16:17,292
In ancient times,
306
00:16:17,417 --> 00:16:21,042
running was not only used
as a means of stalking prey.
307
00:16:21,167 --> 00:16:25,667
It was also a method of
long-range communication.
308
00:16:27,042 --> 00:16:29,583
Running served a
vital purpose for the Ancient Greeks.
309
00:16:29,708 --> 00:16:32,500
They served as
couriers or messengers.
310
00:16:32,583 --> 00:16:35,042
They were essentially
the ancient mail system
311
00:16:35,208 --> 00:16:36,833
for the Greeks,
312
00:16:36,958 --> 00:16:41,708
and it was vital for military
strategy in particular.
313
00:16:43,208 --> 00:16:46,833
In antiquity, the
best way to convey messages,
314
00:16:46,958 --> 00:16:48,833
especially matters of war,
315
00:16:48,958 --> 00:16:50,667
matters of religion,
and so forth,
316
00:16:50,792 --> 00:16:53,250
was to send a "hemerodromos."
317
00:16:53,375 --> 00:16:55,583
So that's the Greek
word for a day runner.
318
00:16:55,708 --> 00:16:57,500
It was a special class
319
00:16:57,667 --> 00:17:02,208
of people specifically
trained for this and specifically
320
00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:04,500
equipped physiologically
321
00:17:04,583 --> 00:17:07,583
not only to deliver a
message in a timely fashion,
322
00:17:07,708 --> 00:17:08,917
but to do it
323
00:17:09,042 --> 00:17:12,125
over very rugged terrain,
324
00:17:12,250 --> 00:17:13,750
over several hundred miles.
325
00:17:15,042 --> 00:17:16,500
So, in that regard,
326
00:17:16,625 --> 00:17:20,000
the extent to which the
hemerodromos can perform
327
00:17:20,167 --> 00:17:22,167
these amazing
feats would suggest
328
00:17:22,250 --> 00:17:25,708
that it requires a kind
of superhuman ability.
329
00:17:27,042 --> 00:17:29,000
In the case of Dean Karnazes,
330
00:17:29,167 --> 00:17:31,750
his superhuman running ability
331
00:17:31,875 --> 00:17:36,167
may be due to the fact that
he is actually of Greek descent.
332
00:17:36,292 --> 00:17:39,417
I think my
ability to run long distances
333
00:17:39,542 --> 00:17:41,708
is influenced, definitely,
by my Greek heritage.
334
00:17:41,833 --> 00:17:43,458
I'm 100% Greek
335
00:17:43,542 --> 00:17:45,184
and Greece is the birthplace
of long-distance running,
336
00:17:45,208 --> 00:17:46,667
and I've known
that for a long time.
337
00:17:48,208 --> 00:17:50,458
I think I have
the natural ability
338
00:17:50,583 --> 00:17:53,792
to run long distances
from my heritage.
339
00:17:53,917 --> 00:17:56,000
But having the will to
do it is another thing.
340
00:17:56,083 --> 00:17:58,792
And I think I just
have the will to do it.
341
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:04,750
Is the ability to run for days
on end actually hereditary?
342
00:18:04,875 --> 00:18:06,500
Well, even if that's true,
343
00:18:06,667 --> 00:18:10,583
it doesn't explain another
superhuman ability:
344
00:18:10,708 --> 00:18:13,833
the ability to swim
hundreds of feet underwater
345
00:18:13,958 --> 00:18:16,292
without taking a single breath.
346
00:18:24,542 --> 00:18:26,625
Lying within
the coastal mountains
347
00:18:26,708 --> 00:18:28,167
of this frigid landscape
348
00:18:28,292 --> 00:18:29,917
is Lake Qorlortoq.
349
00:18:31,167 --> 00:18:33,500
Covered beneath
a million tons of ice,
350
00:18:33,625 --> 00:18:36,708
its crystal blue waters hover
at a hypothermia-inducing
351
00:18:36,875 --> 00:18:38,833
33 degrees Fahrenheit.
352
00:18:38,917 --> 00:18:40,792
One degree above freezing.
353
00:18:42,125 --> 00:18:44,292
Wearing only a
pair of swim trunks,
354
00:18:44,417 --> 00:18:48,333
four-time world champion
free diver Stig Severinsen
355
00:18:48,458 --> 00:18:50,333
plunges into the icy water
356
00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:52,917
in an attempt to
set a new record
357
00:18:53,042 --> 00:18:55,583
for the longest swim under ice.
358
00:18:57,208 --> 00:19:00,125
Without an oxygen tank
and unable to surface,
359
00:19:00,208 --> 00:19:03,000
he risks unconsciousness
and death
360
00:19:03,125 --> 00:19:06,583
as he swims 250 feet underwater,
361
00:19:06,708 --> 00:19:10,333
or nearly the length
of a football field.
362
00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:12,917
When most people
363
00:19:13,042 --> 00:19:14,542
jump in ice-cold water...
364
00:19:14,667 --> 00:19:17,750
they start
gasping and they panic.
365
00:19:19,083 --> 00:19:20,167
Within minutes,
366
00:19:20,292 --> 00:19:23,167
you become icy cold to the core,
367
00:19:23,250 --> 00:19:27,125
and your body can
simply shut down.
368
00:19:27,208 --> 00:19:30,042
I understand that people
think it's crazy or wild
369
00:19:30,208 --> 00:19:32,000
or stupid, even.
370
00:19:32,083 --> 00:19:33,917
You know? Unbelievable.
371
00:19:34,042 --> 00:19:35,333
But I love to challenge science.
372
00:19:35,458 --> 00:19:37,792
I love to challenge
the human physiology.
373
00:19:37,917 --> 00:19:39,333
Human potential.
374
00:19:44,542 --> 00:19:46,208
- That is great.
- Wow.
375
00:19:46,333 --> 00:19:48,333
Stig's swim beneath the ice
376
00:19:48,458 --> 00:19:51,333
wasn't the first time
he went to extremes.
377
00:19:53,708 --> 00:19:56,917
In May of 2012, he
also held his breath
378
00:19:57,042 --> 00:20:00,750
for an astonishing 22 minutes.
379
00:20:00,875 --> 00:20:04,250
But what would compel someone
to push themselves to the limit,
380
00:20:04,375 --> 00:20:07,417
risking death just
to pull off a stunt?
381
00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:09,625
Some of us
382
00:20:09,708 --> 00:20:12,208
seem to be hardwired
to push the limits.
383
00:20:12,333 --> 00:20:15,000
Some of us seem to crave
384
00:20:15,125 --> 00:20:19,250
excitement, intensity, euphoria.
385
00:20:19,375 --> 00:20:22,875
There seem to be a
certain fraction of people
386
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,458
in need of physical activities
387
00:20:26,542 --> 00:20:29,333
or other kinds of activities
that push the limits of
388
00:20:29,417 --> 00:20:32,667
safety or human
possibility or perseverance.
389
00:20:32,792 --> 00:20:36,458
Now, it's a question
as to whether
390
00:20:36,542 --> 00:20:38,500
these people are
seeking euphoria
391
00:20:38,667 --> 00:20:41,708
or whether they're
seeking some greater,
392
00:20:41,833 --> 00:20:43,833
more visceral connection
with themselves.
393
00:20:45,042 --> 00:20:48,875
Humans have this drive
and this need to seek novelty,
394
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,542
to see what's on the
other side of the unknown.
395
00:20:52,667 --> 00:20:56,500
And it's something that
is incredibly dangerous,
396
00:20:56,625 --> 00:21:01,667
but also makes us able to
do insanely difficult things.
397
00:21:02,833 --> 00:21:04,833
In the late 18th
and early 19th centuries,
398
00:21:04,875 --> 00:21:07,708
a new breed of thrill
seekers popularized
399
00:21:07,833 --> 00:21:11,875
the public display of pushing
the limits of human ability,
400
00:21:12,042 --> 00:21:15,667
risking life and limb to
perform death-defying feats
401
00:21:15,792 --> 00:21:17,833
in pursuit of fame and fortune.
402
00:21:17,958 --> 00:21:20,458
And the first of
these daredevils
403
00:21:20,542 --> 00:21:23,833
was a man named Sam Patch.
404
00:21:23,958 --> 00:21:25,917
Sam Patch was the Evil Knievel
405
00:21:26,042 --> 00:21:27,542
of the early 19th century.
406
00:21:27,667 --> 00:21:29,333
They called him
"the Jersey Jumper,"
407
00:21:29,417 --> 00:21:30,625
"the Yankee Leaper."
408
00:21:30,708 --> 00:21:32,500
He liked to jump off things.
409
00:21:32,667 --> 00:21:37,417
Famously, they had a
platform erected in Niagara Falls
410
00:21:37,542 --> 00:21:39,000
so that he could
jump into the water,
411
00:21:39,083 --> 00:21:43,125
but from a really high
level: 75 or 100 feet.
412
00:21:43,208 --> 00:21:45,500
Unfortunately,
it's risky business,
413
00:21:45,583 --> 00:21:48,333
and in 1829, on Friday the 13th,
414
00:21:48,458 --> 00:21:51,833
he either slipped
or fell awkwardly
415
00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,417
and didn't go in feet
first as he normally did.
416
00:21:55,625 --> 00:21:57,667
The audience of several
thousand heard a splat,
417
00:21:57,833 --> 00:21:59,542
and he was never
seen from again.
418
00:22:00,875 --> 00:22:02,875
But Sam Patch's tragic demise
419
00:22:03,042 --> 00:22:06,542
did not deter other
would-be daredevils.
420
00:22:06,667 --> 00:22:09,333
Over the next
century, countless more
421
00:22:09,458 --> 00:22:11,375
followed in his footsteps,
422
00:22:11,542 --> 00:22:14,417
increasing the danger
with every attempt.
423
00:22:16,500 --> 00:22:19,875
Including one who
went to the next level
424
00:22:20,042 --> 00:22:22,417
by taking to the skies.
425
00:22:22,542 --> 00:22:25,250
Clem Sohn was an aerialist,
426
00:22:25,375 --> 00:22:29,625
one of the first, maybe
the first to build for himself
427
00:22:29,708 --> 00:22:31,167
a kind of gliding suit.
428
00:22:32,417 --> 00:22:34,000
He would jump out of airplanes
429
00:22:34,125 --> 00:22:38,458
with the wings attached
and a kind of tail structure.
430
00:22:38,542 --> 00:22:41,000
One of his
nicknames was "the Birdman."
431
00:22:41,083 --> 00:22:43,583
He would glide for
thousands of feet
432
00:22:43,708 --> 00:22:46,167
and then eventually
pull the ripcord
433
00:22:46,292 --> 00:22:48,667
and parachute to safety,
434
00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:51,333
and he did this on both
sides of the Atlantic.
435
00:22:51,458 --> 00:22:54,750
Unfortunately, outside
of Paris in 1937,
436
00:22:54,875 --> 00:22:57,708
in front of a crowd of as
many as 100,000 people...
437
00:22:58,667 --> 00:22:59,875
he glided through the air,
438
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,750
and then his first
chute failed to open...
439
00:23:04,167 --> 00:23:08,000
and then the second one,
and he plunged to his death.
440
00:23:14,417 --> 00:23:15,833
The practice of performing
441
00:23:15,917 --> 00:23:19,000
thrill-seeking feats is
alive and well today,
442
00:23:19,125 --> 00:23:22,333
even if not all daredevils
survive their attempts
443
00:23:22,417 --> 00:23:24,042
to push the limits.
444
00:23:25,208 --> 00:23:27,000
But why do so many human beings
445
00:23:27,083 --> 00:23:29,958
feel the need to
pursue incredible feats,
446
00:23:30,083 --> 00:23:32,583
even if it means
risking our lives?
447
00:23:33,833 --> 00:23:35,708
Pushing
boundaries and pushing limits
448
00:23:35,833 --> 00:23:37,750
is part of our human nature.
449
00:23:38,833 --> 00:23:40,792
You would think that
would be counterintuitive.
450
00:23:40,917 --> 00:23:44,500
Seeking pain seems like
not the brightest thing to do
451
00:23:44,625 --> 00:23:47,167
because we're going
against our survival.
452
00:23:48,250 --> 00:23:52,125
If you look at any animal
in the animal kingdom,
453
00:23:52,208 --> 00:23:54,500
none of them really do
things that go against
454
00:23:54,583 --> 00:23:56,167
survival instincts.
455
00:23:56,292 --> 00:23:57,875
They just want to survive.
456
00:23:58,875 --> 00:24:00,542
Human beings,
on the other hand...
457
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,542
we will seek out
things that put us
458
00:24:04,667 --> 00:24:09,250
at immense risk and not
for any external reward,
459
00:24:09,375 --> 00:24:13,000
but really for the
internal reward of doing it.
460
00:24:13,167 --> 00:24:16,667
Seeking something
difficult, something hard,
461
00:24:16,792 --> 00:24:19,833
often makes people feel alive.
462
00:24:22,208 --> 00:24:25,042
Is it possible that
by risking death,
463
00:24:25,208 --> 00:24:29,917
people can unlock the ability
to perform superhuman feats?
464
00:24:30,042 --> 00:24:32,542
Well, there's a famous
story from American folklore
465
00:24:32,667 --> 00:24:35,500
which suggests
that might be true.
466
00:24:35,667 --> 00:24:38,375
It's the tale of someone
who defied the odds
467
00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:41,042
in a competition that pitted man
468
00:24:41,167 --> 00:24:44,208
against machine.
469
00:24:47,875 --> 00:24:49,667
For centuries, mankind
470
00:24:49,792 --> 00:24:51,500
has told stories about people
471
00:24:51,667 --> 00:24:54,042
who have the ability
to perform feats
472
00:24:54,167 --> 00:24:58,458
that require extraordinary
physical strength.
473
00:24:58,542 --> 00:25:00,875
But why are we so fascinated
474
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,667
by these superhuman characters?
475
00:25:04,667 --> 00:25:06,333
We love stories
476
00:25:06,417 --> 00:25:10,875
about humans that push the
boundaries of exceptionalism.
477
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:15,625
And history is full of
this kind of folk hero...
478
00:25:16,708 --> 00:25:20,083
who is stronger
than any other human.
479
00:25:20,208 --> 00:25:23,375
We have characters like
Hercules who are half god.
480
00:25:23,542 --> 00:25:25,250
That's the source
of his strength.
481
00:25:26,333 --> 00:25:28,458
There's someone like
Samson, from the Bible,
482
00:25:28,583 --> 00:25:30,500
whose hair gives him strength
483
00:25:30,667 --> 00:25:33,125
beyond what a normal
human might have.
484
00:25:33,208 --> 00:25:36,292
And nowadays, we
have superheroes:
485
00:25:36,375 --> 00:25:41,000
Batman, Spiderman, characters
who similarly are human,
486
00:25:41,083 --> 00:25:44,333
but a little bit better
than other humans.
487
00:25:44,458 --> 00:25:46,667
All these stories
488
00:25:46,792 --> 00:25:50,000
let us talk about
the possibilities
489
00:25:50,083 --> 00:25:52,833
of human endurance
and human capability.
490
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,125
How far can we push ourselves?
491
00:25:55,208 --> 00:25:58,042
How much faster and
stronger can we be?
492
00:26:03,250 --> 00:26:06,833
Here, at the foot
of the Allegheny Mountains,
493
00:26:06,958 --> 00:26:09,000
lies a decommissioned
railroad tunnel
494
00:26:09,125 --> 00:26:12,375
known as the Great Bend Tunnel.
495
00:26:12,500 --> 00:26:14,500
According to folklore,
496
00:26:14,583 --> 00:26:16,458
this was the site
of a famous legend
497
00:26:16,542 --> 00:26:18,125
from the 1870s
498
00:26:18,250 --> 00:26:20,292
about a superhuman
railroad worker
499
00:26:20,375 --> 00:26:23,458
named John Henry.
500
00:26:24,708 --> 00:26:28,458
The legend is that
John Henry was six-six, 280 pounds,
501
00:26:28,583 --> 00:26:30,833
muscular, solid, glistening.
502
00:26:30,958 --> 00:26:33,208
You could see him
half a mile away.
503
00:26:34,417 --> 00:26:36,833
The legend has it that he
was born in enslavement,
504
00:26:36,917 --> 00:26:38,833
and he had all these
goals for his family
505
00:26:38,958 --> 00:26:40,708
coming out of enslavement.
506
00:26:40,875 --> 00:26:42,875
And he says, "I want a good job.
507
00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:44,875
I want to provide
for my family."
508
00:26:45,042 --> 00:26:48,833
And he saw the C&O
railroad laying track
509
00:26:48,958 --> 00:26:51,792
and John Henry shows
up and says, "I'm your guy."
510
00:26:53,375 --> 00:26:57,208
The fable has it that any
man who signed up to work
511
00:26:57,333 --> 00:27:02,000
would get 50 acres of land if
they completed the railroad.
512
00:27:02,125 --> 00:27:03,667
And sometimes this railroad
513
00:27:03,750 --> 00:27:05,833
had to be completed
through a mountain.
514
00:27:05,958 --> 00:27:09,125
And so John Henry not simply
laid rail, the railroad track,
515
00:27:09,208 --> 00:27:12,042
but he had to drive
a stake into the rock,
516
00:27:12,208 --> 00:27:15,708
which creates enough
space to then load dynamite.
517
00:27:16,792 --> 00:27:19,000
John Henry was
the best steel driver,
518
00:27:19,083 --> 00:27:22,000
and then here comes
a man with a steam drill.
519
00:27:23,042 --> 00:27:25,708
The legend speaks of
this race taking place
520
00:27:25,833 --> 00:27:28,333
between John Henry
and the machine.
521
00:27:30,667 --> 00:27:32,708
As the story goes,
522
00:27:32,875 --> 00:27:34,351
there was a competition
between John Henry
523
00:27:34,375 --> 00:27:37,042
and the machine
to see which of them
524
00:27:37,167 --> 00:27:39,333
could drill farthest into
the side of the mountain
525
00:27:39,417 --> 00:27:41,208
in a single day.
526
00:27:41,375 --> 00:27:43,000
During the contest,
527
00:27:43,125 --> 00:27:45,292
the strength of John Henry
was reportedly so powerful,
528
00:27:45,375 --> 00:27:47,667
that the blows from
his twin sledgehammers
529
00:27:47,792 --> 00:27:50,500
shook the mountain itself.
530
00:27:52,375 --> 00:27:53,750
The story is that
531
00:27:53,875 --> 00:27:56,000
the steam drill
only went nine feet.
532
00:27:56,083 --> 00:27:58,375
John Henry went 14.
533
00:27:59,542 --> 00:28:01,667
And so John Henry is superhuman
534
00:28:01,833 --> 00:28:03,167
and more supreme
than the machine.
535
00:28:04,375 --> 00:28:05,625
John Henry
536
00:28:05,708 --> 00:28:08,917
beats the machine
in this competition.
537
00:28:10,667 --> 00:28:12,417
But he passes away:
538
00:28:12,542 --> 00:28:14,167
he dies of a heart attack.
539
00:28:15,542 --> 00:28:18,000
He dies from overexertion.
540
00:28:18,125 --> 00:28:20,625
And what we have here
541
00:28:20,708 --> 00:28:24,208
is John Henry
begins to symbolize
542
00:28:24,333 --> 00:28:28,625
this overpowering
physique of a muscleman
543
00:28:28,708 --> 00:28:31,667
and the ability to achieve
544
00:28:31,833 --> 00:28:34,292
in the face of extreme odds.
545
00:28:35,708 --> 00:28:39,458
The legend of John
Henry represents this Black man,
546
00:28:39,583 --> 00:28:41,667
this hero who did
superhuman feats,
547
00:28:41,792 --> 00:28:43,542
from the 19th century.
548
00:28:43,667 --> 00:28:47,333
It overshadows the harshness
of the Reconstruction period,
549
00:28:47,458 --> 00:28:48,958
but it also shows us how
550
00:28:49,042 --> 00:28:50,750
Black men who were able-bodied,
551
00:28:50,875 --> 00:28:52,875
who had that spirit of
552
00:28:53,042 --> 00:28:55,375
willing to do anything
they needed to do
553
00:28:55,542 --> 00:28:57,458
to provide for their families.
554
00:28:59,667 --> 00:29:03,917
Most of us know about
John Henry from a literary work.
555
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,167
Like so many folk heroes
556
00:29:07,292 --> 00:29:10,667
from the same time
period in American history,
557
00:29:10,750 --> 00:29:15,958
Paul Bunyan, Joe
Magarac, Pecos Bill,
558
00:29:16,083 --> 00:29:19,083
they are all compatriots
of John Henry in this
559
00:29:19,208 --> 00:29:22,500
larger-than-life, super capable
560
00:29:22,583 --> 00:29:25,208
American folk hero model.
561
00:29:25,333 --> 00:29:29,708
And what they capture
is the spirit of industry
562
00:29:29,833 --> 00:29:33,083
that our nation so
badly wanted to embody
563
00:29:33,208 --> 00:29:35,417
and project to the
rest of the world
564
00:29:35,542 --> 00:29:37,000
at this point in history.
565
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,375
The legend of John
Henry's battle against the steam drill
566
00:29:45,542 --> 00:29:49,292
was first immortalized in an
African American folk ballad,
567
00:29:49,375 --> 00:29:52,958
and since then, the
inspirational story
568
00:29:53,042 --> 00:29:55,833
has also been
celebrated numerous times
569
00:29:55,958 --> 00:29:59,292
in magazines, plays, and books.
570
00:30:00,958 --> 00:30:02,958
Another superhuman
feat of John Henry
571
00:30:03,083 --> 00:30:05,792
is that he was able
to inspire so many.
572
00:30:05,917 --> 00:30:08,167
And so whether it's inspiring
573
00:30:08,292 --> 00:30:10,583
in terms of actually
working on the railroad
574
00:30:10,708 --> 00:30:14,292
or other industries, John
Henry was a beacon of that.
575
00:30:14,375 --> 00:30:17,000
Also, in terms of
him losing his life,
576
00:30:17,125 --> 00:30:19,083
that's a sacrifice
577
00:30:19,208 --> 00:30:21,958
that those who came
after him could appreciate,
578
00:30:22,083 --> 00:30:25,333
as they strive to be
as good as John Henry.
579
00:30:26,333 --> 00:30:28,250
There also is an overlap,
580
00:30:28,375 --> 00:30:30,417
certainly, with John
Henry and superheroes.
581
00:30:31,875 --> 00:30:36,500
In the early 1990s,
Superman passed away,
582
00:30:36,583 --> 00:30:38,125
and that set up a situation
583
00:30:38,250 --> 00:30:42,000
for the comic book
version of John Henry
584
00:30:42,125 --> 00:30:44,000
to come in and save the day...
585
00:30:45,083 --> 00:30:47,333
as the character of Steel
586
00:30:47,458 --> 00:30:50,750
in order to save the
citizens of Metropolis.
587
00:30:50,875 --> 00:30:56,167
He builds a suit,
encased in steel,
588
00:30:56,292 --> 00:30:59,417
and carries, of all things...
Would you believe it?
589
00:30:59,542 --> 00:31:01,000
A sledgehammer.
590
00:31:02,083 --> 00:31:03,375
And that speaks
to kind of, like,
591
00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:05,625
the reinterpretation
of John Henry
592
00:31:05,708 --> 00:31:09,375
within the framework of
the superhero afro-futuristic
593
00:31:09,542 --> 00:31:10,958
sci-fi version.
594
00:31:12,417 --> 00:31:16,042
The idea that
John Henry is a superhero,
595
00:31:16,208 --> 00:31:20,083
standing firmly in that
space of post-enslavement
596
00:31:20,208 --> 00:31:22,458
and Reconstruction,
is really phenomenal.
597
00:31:22,542 --> 00:31:25,750
The legend of John Henry
proves that human strength
598
00:31:25,875 --> 00:31:28,500
is inherent in all of us.
599
00:31:28,625 --> 00:31:33,750
Was John Henry's victory
over the steam drill just a myth,
600
00:31:33,875 --> 00:31:35,792
or did it actually happen?
601
00:31:35,875 --> 00:31:39,333
Either way, the story suggests
that people can perform
602
00:31:39,417 --> 00:31:43,208
incredible feats when
placed in dire circumstances.
603
00:31:44,208 --> 00:31:45,875
Like in the case
of two teenage girls
604
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,208
who saved their father
from certain death
605
00:31:48,333 --> 00:31:51,250
with a sudden burst of
superhuman strength.
606
00:31:59,250 --> 00:32:02,000
While clearing
the grounds of his property,
607
00:32:02,083 --> 00:32:04,667
Jeff Smith loops a chain
around a tree stump...
608
00:32:06,208 --> 00:32:08,333
and attaches the
other end to his tractor.
609
00:32:09,583 --> 00:32:11,292
But when he throws
610
00:32:11,375 --> 00:32:15,208
the 3,000-pound vehicle
into reverse, disaster strikes.
611
00:32:17,875 --> 00:32:19,917
My boots were fairly muddy,
612
00:32:20,042 --> 00:32:22,375
and my foot
slipped off the clutch.
613
00:32:24,583 --> 00:32:28,333
And the whole tractor just
tipped flat back over on me.
614
00:32:28,417 --> 00:32:30,042
Ah!
615
00:32:30,167 --> 00:32:33,167
The steering wheel ended
up burying into my chest
616
00:32:33,292 --> 00:32:36,292
right about where my heart is,
617
00:32:36,417 --> 00:32:39,042
and pinned me in between
the tractor and the ground.
618
00:32:40,792 --> 00:32:42,833
Pinned beneath
3,000 pounds of steel,
619
00:32:42,958 --> 00:32:44,458
Jeff screams out in agony.
620
00:32:46,333 --> 00:32:48,000
His anguished cries
draw the attention
621
00:32:48,167 --> 00:32:50,250
of his teenage daughters,
Hannah and Haylee.
622
00:32:51,500 --> 00:32:54,167
But with the nearest town 20
minutes away, there's no time
623
00:32:54,333 --> 00:32:55,833
to wait for help to arrive.
624
00:32:57,583 --> 00:33:00,500
While my dad was
under the tractor, he was...
625
00:33:00,667 --> 00:33:01,667
He couldn't breathe,
626
00:33:01,708 --> 00:33:03,833
his oxygen was really low.
627
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,042
He kept going in and
out of consciousness.
628
00:33:07,167 --> 00:33:11,292
He was pale, his
lips were kind of blue.
629
00:33:11,375 --> 00:33:13,000
Me and my sister
knew at that point
630
00:33:13,125 --> 00:33:14,500
that we were the only ones
631
00:33:14,625 --> 00:33:16,500
and the only chance
that my dad had.
632
00:33:18,250 --> 00:33:19,393
I was just like
633
00:33:19,417 --> 00:33:22,375
so frozen and just so shocked.
634
00:33:24,542 --> 00:33:27,083
And I go and I look at my dad.
635
00:33:27,208 --> 00:33:30,125
He's just like, could not talk,
636
00:33:30,250 --> 00:33:32,250
and his blood
vessels in his eyes,
637
00:33:32,375 --> 00:33:34,542
you could see them
popping one by one.
638
00:33:34,708 --> 00:33:36,917
And it was just horrible.
I had no idea what to do.
639
00:33:37,042 --> 00:33:39,333
So my sister says...
640
00:33:39,458 --> 00:33:41,667
"Come
help me lift it."
641
00:33:43,542 --> 00:33:46,125
As their
father gasps for breath,
642
00:33:46,208 --> 00:33:48,000
the two sisters
frantically grab the front
643
00:33:48,083 --> 00:33:50,000
of the massive tractor,
644
00:33:50,167 --> 00:33:52,583
set their heels into the ground,
645
00:33:52,708 --> 00:33:54,458
and lift.
646
00:33:56,042 --> 00:33:57,542
When we tried to lift it,
647
00:33:57,667 --> 00:33:59,542
it did not move.
648
00:34:01,167 --> 00:34:03,667
I was just done, and
Hannah was just screaming,
649
00:34:03,750 --> 00:34:05,670
"We have to do it again,
we have to do it again."
650
00:34:07,208 --> 00:34:08,768
And I just remember
putting my hands up,
651
00:34:08,833 --> 00:34:09,625
and I was just like,
652
00:34:09,708 --> 00:34:11,417
"How?"
653
00:34:12,583 --> 00:34:16,125
And she just said,
"Count." And so we counted.
654
00:34:16,208 --> 00:34:18,333
And I just remember
thinking, like, "God, help me.
655
00:34:18,458 --> 00:34:20,167
Give me the
strength to do this."
656
00:34:21,333 --> 00:34:24,667
And she said, "One,
two, three" and we lifted it.
657
00:34:27,375 --> 00:34:29,458
Together, the two teenage girls
658
00:34:29,542 --> 00:34:32,833
managed to hoist the tractor
one foot off the ground...
659
00:34:35,458 --> 00:34:39,417
allowing their father enough
room to wiggle out and escape.
660
00:34:41,417 --> 00:34:43,875
My girls lifted a
3,000-pound tractor off me
661
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:45,125
and saved my life.
662
00:34:45,250 --> 00:34:47,500
So, I mean, if my
girls had not have
663
00:34:47,625 --> 00:34:50,167
shown that kind of
mysterious strength
664
00:34:50,250 --> 00:34:53,708
of being able to lift
that off my chest...
665
00:34:55,042 --> 00:34:57,375
I don't think I would have
lasted another five minutes.
666
00:34:57,542 --> 00:34:59,500
What boggles my
mind to this day,
667
00:34:59,667 --> 00:35:03,667
which is almost ten
years later, is that...
668
00:35:03,792 --> 00:35:05,333
they were able to do it.
669
00:35:05,458 --> 00:35:07,750
It's just, to be able to lift
that much weight and...
670
00:35:07,875 --> 00:35:09,583
and save my life is...
671
00:35:10,750 --> 00:35:12,333
incredible.
672
00:35:12,458 --> 00:35:16,208
It's insane to think that
that was even a possibility.
673
00:35:17,208 --> 00:35:19,250
How did two teenagers...
674
00:35:19,375 --> 00:35:22,125
Each weighing no
more than 125 pounds...
675
00:35:22,250 --> 00:35:25,750
Find the strength to
lift a massive tractor?
676
00:35:26,708 --> 00:35:28,667
Scientists believe
the source of their
677
00:35:28,792 --> 00:35:31,333
superhuman strength
may have actually been
678
00:35:31,458 --> 00:35:33,583
a surge of adrenaline.
679
00:35:33,708 --> 00:35:36,625
There's many stories
that you hear about
680
00:35:36,750 --> 00:35:41,375
of people doing superhuman
feats of strength...
681
00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:45,000
and this usually is
driven by adrenaline.
682
00:35:45,125 --> 00:35:47,000
Adrenaline is that hormone
683
00:35:47,125 --> 00:35:51,000
that can tap into resources
of strength that you might have
684
00:35:51,125 --> 00:35:53,333
when you need it
in that split second
685
00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:56,667
to drive your whole body
686
00:35:56,833 --> 00:35:58,000
to push to the limits
687
00:35:58,083 --> 00:36:01,250
and do whatever is necessary.
688
00:36:02,375 --> 00:36:04,458
You see it in battle.
689
00:36:04,542 --> 00:36:08,333
You hear about it
in an emergency.
690
00:36:08,458 --> 00:36:11,583
Adrenaline can make the
body do amazing things.
691
00:36:13,167 --> 00:36:14,393
Scientists have been studying
692
00:36:14,417 --> 00:36:16,500
the remarkable
effects of adrenaline
693
00:36:16,583 --> 00:36:19,583
since it was first
discovered in 1901.
694
00:36:20,750 --> 00:36:23,792
Jokichi Takamine
was a Japanese chemist
695
00:36:23,875 --> 00:36:27,167
who spent most of his
career in the United States,
696
00:36:27,333 --> 00:36:29,667
and he's the first
person to identify,
697
00:36:29,792 --> 00:36:33,292
purify, and eventually
trademark adrenaline.
698
00:36:34,542 --> 00:36:38,458
And he was able to isolate
the naturally occurring hormone
699
00:36:38,583 --> 00:36:40,625
adrenaline in sheep and oxen
700
00:36:40,708 --> 00:36:43,542
and to withdraw
it and to purify it.
701
00:36:44,875 --> 00:36:46,708
Jokichi Takamine described
702
00:36:46,833 --> 00:36:49,333
the whole idea of
the adrenaline rush
703
00:36:49,458 --> 00:36:51,167
as a harnessing of reservoirs
704
00:36:51,292 --> 00:36:53,500
of power and a violent sort of
705
00:36:53,625 --> 00:36:55,875
explosion of energy
that occurs in people
706
00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,458
who are in crisis situations.
707
00:37:00,083 --> 00:37:03,500
Did a rush of adrenaline
allow Hannah and Haylee Smith
708
00:37:03,625 --> 00:37:06,708
to lift a 3,000-pound tractor?
709
00:37:06,833 --> 00:37:09,292
It's a fascinating possibility,
710
00:37:09,375 --> 00:37:12,958
and suggests that we
all have untapped strength
711
00:37:13,042 --> 00:37:15,792
that can be unlocked
at a moment's notice.
712
00:37:16,750 --> 00:37:19,125
I feel like that their love
713
00:37:19,250 --> 00:37:23,125
granted them enough power to
be able to do what they had to do.
714
00:37:23,250 --> 00:37:25,167
But when it comes down to it,
715
00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:26,684
I think everybody's
got a little bit of
716
00:37:26,708 --> 00:37:28,833
that kind of superhuman
ability in them.
717
00:37:28,958 --> 00:37:30,917
It's just a matter
of tapping into it
718
00:37:31,042 --> 00:37:34,417
and finding the right situation
where it drives them to do it.
719
00:37:36,375 --> 00:37:38,500
The idea that a
shot of adrenaline
720
00:37:38,583 --> 00:37:41,375
can give an ordinary
person the ability to perform
721
00:37:41,542 --> 00:37:44,083
remarkable feats is fascinating.
722
00:37:44,208 --> 00:37:47,667
Believe it or not, there are
scientists who are currently
723
00:37:47,833 --> 00:37:52,833
trying to harness other
kinds of natural powers
724
00:37:52,917 --> 00:37:54,667
to turn us all into
725
00:37:54,792 --> 00:37:57,083
superhumans.
726
00:38:15,750 --> 00:38:17,750
At the
University of Connecticut's
727
00:38:17,875 --> 00:38:20,458
Department of Genetics
and Genome Sciences,
728
00:38:20,583 --> 00:38:23,167
there is a lab that is home to
729
00:38:23,250 --> 00:38:25,583
dozens of genetically
altered mice.
730
00:38:25,708 --> 00:38:28,542
While these rodents
might appear quite ordinary,
731
00:38:28,667 --> 00:38:31,375
their DNA has
actually been modified
732
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:35,083
to make them 30%
stronger than normal mice.
733
00:38:36,292 --> 00:38:39,333
Researchers have found
ways to increase muscle mass,
734
00:38:39,417 --> 00:38:40,792
muscle tissue
735
00:38:40,875 --> 00:38:44,500
in ordinary mice to demonstrate
736
00:38:44,625 --> 00:38:47,167
extraordinary endurance.
737
00:38:47,333 --> 00:38:50,167
It's a kind of
Mighty Mouse effect.
738
00:38:50,333 --> 00:38:54,458
And so the question becomes
whether this can be translated
739
00:38:54,542 --> 00:38:56,167
to the human form.
740
00:38:56,333 --> 00:38:59,500
The possibility that
DNA manipulation
741
00:38:59,625 --> 00:39:02,917
might enable people to enjoy
heightened strength and stamina
742
00:39:03,042 --> 00:39:04,500
is intriguing.
743
00:39:04,667 --> 00:39:07,000
And in fact, humans have
been searching for ways
744
00:39:07,125 --> 00:39:09,000
to enhance our natural abilities
745
00:39:09,083 --> 00:39:10,667
for thousands of years.
746
00:39:10,750 --> 00:39:12,351
If you go back
to the ancient Greeks,
747
00:39:12,375 --> 00:39:13,667
the original Olympics,
748
00:39:13,792 --> 00:39:16,208
there are historical
records of them
749
00:39:16,333 --> 00:39:18,292
working with wine potions
750
00:39:18,417 --> 00:39:19,750
and various herbs
751
00:39:19,875 --> 00:39:22,292
to give themselves
performance enhancement.
752
00:39:22,375 --> 00:39:23,667
And then, in terms of
753
00:39:23,792 --> 00:39:26,333
modern use of
performance-enhancing drugs,
754
00:39:26,417 --> 00:39:27,542
it's the Cold War.
755
00:39:27,667 --> 00:39:29,167
The Soviet Union had
756
00:39:29,292 --> 00:39:32,333
a massive drug doping program
757
00:39:32,417 --> 00:39:35,708
as part of its sports programs
758
00:39:35,833 --> 00:39:39,500
in efforts to defeat
the West in every level,
759
00:39:39,625 --> 00:39:42,667
militarily as well as in sport.
760
00:39:42,792 --> 00:39:46,500
So the urge to do
that, to outcompete
761
00:39:46,667 --> 00:39:48,500
everyone else
on the playing field
762
00:39:48,667 --> 00:39:50,750
has been with
us for, uh, forever.
763
00:39:52,292 --> 00:39:56,917
Since the early
1980s, the military has been interested
764
00:39:57,042 --> 00:40:00,750
in researching the
creation of super soldiers...
765
00:40:01,708 --> 00:40:04,375
using exoskeletons
766
00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:08,125
or robotic assists to limbs,
767
00:40:08,208 --> 00:40:11,250
or using magnetic waves
768
00:40:11,375 --> 00:40:14,667
to help people
overcome the problems
769
00:40:14,792 --> 00:40:18,583
of fatigue associated
with sleep deprivation,
770
00:40:18,708 --> 00:40:21,833
or increasing strength,
increasing sight,
771
00:40:21,958 --> 00:40:25,500
increasing the ability
to see around corners,
772
00:40:25,625 --> 00:40:29,083
see in the dark, see behind you,
773
00:40:29,208 --> 00:40:31,125
to allow them to perform
774
00:40:31,250 --> 00:40:34,917
incredible feats that
are otherwise impossible.
775
00:40:35,042 --> 00:40:37,917
Our desire
always to improve ourselves
776
00:40:38,042 --> 00:40:40,500
is at the source of so
much of what we do.
777
00:40:40,667 --> 00:40:42,458
At a very elementary level,
778
00:40:42,583 --> 00:40:46,542
human beings want to
distinguish themselves.
779
00:40:46,667 --> 00:40:49,625
We want to do what
others haven't done.
780
00:40:49,750 --> 00:40:52,750
We're always restless,
questing for something else,
781
00:40:52,875 --> 00:40:55,333
pursuing something else,
782
00:40:55,417 --> 00:40:58,542
and it's somewhat
of a perverse need.
783
00:40:59,750 --> 00:41:01,833
Will technology
push human performance
784
00:41:01,958 --> 00:41:03,833
beyond its natural limits?
785
00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:06,500
Many scientists
believe it's possible.
786
00:41:06,667 --> 00:41:09,167
But the truth is that
human beings already possess
787
00:41:09,292 --> 00:41:11,375
extraordinary capabilities
788
00:41:11,500 --> 00:41:14,917
that we are only beginning
to understand.
789
00:41:15,042 --> 00:41:16,083
I think,
790
00:41:16,208 --> 00:41:17,833
in some cases,
791
00:41:17,958 --> 00:41:19,833
people don't know that they have
792
00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:21,833
these talents and capacities...
793
00:41:22,917 --> 00:41:24,833
until they're put
in the right situation
794
00:41:24,958 --> 00:41:27,042
where they have to call on them.
795
00:41:27,208 --> 00:41:31,500
And as we start understanding
more about the science of genes,
796
00:41:31,625 --> 00:41:35,917
we'll realize that
there may be talents
797
00:41:36,042 --> 00:41:39,375
and potentials
that we can unlock
798
00:41:39,542 --> 00:41:41,250
that we didn't
otherwise know about.
799
00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,375
Just when we think we know
the limits of our mental
800
00:41:45,542 --> 00:41:47,167
and physical capabilities,
801
00:41:47,333 --> 00:41:49,417
another extraordinary person
802
00:41:49,542 --> 00:41:51,125
comes along and performs
803
00:41:51,208 --> 00:41:53,500
a superhuman feat
that breaks the boundaries
804
00:41:53,625 --> 00:41:55,250
of what is possible.
805
00:41:55,375 --> 00:41:57,333
So, perhaps in the future,
806
00:41:57,417 --> 00:42:01,708
mankind will unlock even more
incredible abilities
807
00:42:01,833 --> 00:42:04,083
that, for now, remain...
808
00:42:05,458 --> 00:42:06,667
unexplained.
809
00:42:06,792 --> 00:42:08,867
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