Astonishing Bodies

Astonishing Bodies — page 1 — Introduction the The human body is remarkable Every day it does many amazing things without you even knowing It turns food and air into energy It pumps blood to your limbs It moves around without falling over Most peoples bodies cannot function beyond these limits For example the body does not like pain It cannot survive extreme cold or go without air It cannot lift huge weights Is That Possible But that is not always the case Some people claim to have achieved feats that seem impossible such as surviving for weeks in freezing temperatures Is what they are saying even possible A Hindu man uses hooks in his skin to pull a heavy load 4

Astonishing Bodies — page 2 — How do contortionists twist into such strange shapes Incredible Feats This book examines some astonishing oddities of the human body Some such as great strength or sleepwalking are familiar Others such as spontaneous human combustion still remain mysteries to scientists It is hard for anyone to understand why a person would burst into flames for no reason You’ll meet children who claim to have been raised by wild animals and worshipers who show their devotion by piercing their skin with blades and hooks You’ll meet people who can walk on fire You will discover just how remarkable the human body can be Mystery words devotion dedication to a particular religious belief 5

Astonishing Bodies — page 3 — Superhuman STRENGTH In movies superheroes can lift cars or buildings What about humans There are many stories of great feats of strength such as a mother lifting an entire car to save her child trapped underneath people People have been fascinated by the strength of the human body since ancient times A Greek myth tells how the hero Atlas held the world on his shoulders Ancient peoples held weightlifting competitions to test the limits of their strength Today scientists understand which body types are better suited for lifting weights Shorter limbs lift more weight than long ones Training and good nutrition help develop bigger muscles Mystery words 6 adrenaline a chemical in the body that helps it to overcome pain

Astonishing Bodies — page 4 — Animal Comparisons Today people test their strength by pulling trucks or carrying heavy rocks The strongest weightlifters can lift about 475 pounds 215 kilograms Some animals are far stronger than humans in proportion to their size For example ants can lift up to 50 times their body weight For a human this would mean lifting well over 1,100 pounds 500 kg People are always fascinated by displays of great strength Mystery File MIRACLE STRENGTH How do ordinary people find superhuman strength in an emergency Adrenaline gives them a burst of hysterical strength Hysterical strength allows them to lift cars or push down walls to save themselves or their loved ones 7

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