Compared to most other animals, the average person seems rather weak. We live in climate controlled apartments and eat food from the supermarket. Most of us probably won't be able to live in the wild for even a week.
But, despite all this, our species was able to conquer the whole world and survive even in the most remote corners of the planet even before the advent of modern technology. Our ancestors traveled the world, crossing deserts and surviving in frosty climates, were able to conquer mountain ranges, for example, the Alps and the Himalayas, and even cross the ocean to populate new lands.
Looking at modern man, you might think that all these super powers that helped our ancestors to survive were lost by us during the technical revolution. Nevertheless, within each of us there are remarkable abilities that allow us to withstand extreme conditions and difficult physical activity. And these superpowers can be developed in oneself.
Today we will tell you about superpowers that some modern people have, as well as those that you can develop in yourself.
Unconscious Control: People use breath and cold to learn how to control body temperature and the immune system
When it comes to the superpowers of the human body and its ability to withstand extreme conditions, Dutch fitness guru Wim Hof immediately comes to mind. He claims that exercise, which includes breathing and exposure to cold temperatures, has given him the ability to naturally warm himself up, adapt to altitude more quickly, and activate or suppress his immune system.
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Despite some skepticism, it has been proven many times that Hof's method actually works. For example, he was able to climb the Kilimanjaro ice cap in 28 hours and walk most of the way without a shirt (usually the climb takes about a week with full gear).
The researchers found that people who study the Hof Method do have limited control over their immune systems, although this was previously thought to be impossible.
We can adapt to survive at the Top of the World
If you have ever traveled in highlands, for example in Mexico City, Cuzco or Peru, or even just walked uphill, then you have experienced how cruel altitude can be. But climbers know that a few days of adaptation makes it much easier to carry. Your body adjusts thanks to red blood cells that begin to change the way it stores oxygen. This leads to changes that last for months, allowing you to live on top of the world.
Indigenous peoples who have lived in high altitude regions for thousands of years have adapted even better, despite the reduced oxygen levels in the air.
We still don't really know how long we can hold our breath underwater.
Throughout history, there have been people able to stay at sea longer than others. The ancient Greeks, thanks to such abilities, could successfully wage wars, and Japanese and Korean women dived to the seabed to collect shellfish and pearls. But we often think of the ocean as a hostile place. When Raymond Boucher decided to dive 30 meters in 1949, scientists thought the water pressure would kill him, but he came out of the sea alive and began a tradition of modern freediving, the limits of which we still don't know.
Researchers have found that after a dive, some people have a lower heart rate and slower oxygen consumption. In recent years, divers have continued to push the boundaries of these possibilities, descending to a depth of 200 meters. Moreover, at least one person is known to remain underwater for more than 22 minutes. We still don't know our capabilities, although testing them can be dangerous.
Ability to withstand low temperatures
Hof isn't the only one to prove that humans can withstand freezing temperatures. Long-distance swimmer Lewis Pugh was able to complete a kilometer swim in the Arctic and Antarctic. Researchers who studied his capabilities say his body temperature rose 1.2 degrees Celsius when he got into the water. They attribute this to the ability to prepare their bodies for low temperatures.
Super long distance running
Long-distance running is one of the human abilities that many other animals lack. A person is able to withstand a race at a distance of more than 30 kilometers, which is beyond the strength of most other species. The secret is that our body does not overheat too much, and this allows us to win the race even with horses, which are our strongest competitors in the distance race. The best long-distance runners are able to adapt their bodies to such a load. For example, Dean Karnazes was able to run 50 marathons in 50 days without a break, which is rare even among the best runners in the world.
Echolocation ability
We know that dolphins and bats can move with natural sonar - they sense the vibrations of sound waves. However, these species are not the only ones with such superpowers.
Most of the world learned about the human ability to echolocate thanks to Daniel Kish - a blind man who is able to move around using clicking sound as sonar. This ability helps Daniel not only walk without a guide, but also ride a bike, and even travel in the desert. The researchers say this ability is not unique. Other people can also learn to see in the dark with these clicks if they train for at least a few weeks.
Compass
Some people can no longer find their way from their house to a friend's apartment without the help of digital devices. As soon as we started using phones to get directions, many lost their sense of direction. However, some people still managed to save it. Throughout history, researchers have encountered people who are able to determine the direction they need, regardless of the circumstances. They could, for example, navigate a ship in the changing sea waters on a moonless night. Some studies indicate that the more we use "internal maps", the larger the part of the brain responsible for orientation in space becomes. Perhaps we all have the ability to correctly identify any direction, but we stopped using it.
be careful
Many of the abilities mentioned today can be developed, but care must be taken. Trying to develop some of them yourself and go beyond your capabilities can be dangerous. There are many known cases of people dying without proper supervision trying to swim under the ice, like Wim Hof. Freediving is also a very dangerous activity. You must be fully aware of the risks you are taking.
Anna Pismenna
