Stopping Runaway Trains: Superman and the Science of Strength

Stopping Runaway Trains: Superman and the Science of Strength — page 1
INTRODUCTION STRONGER THAN STEEL Superman’s strength is legendary He can bend thick steel beams with his bare hands He can lift subway cars airplanes and oil tankers He can even crush diamonds in his fist But if you think amazing feats of strength are limited to the Man of Steel think again Strength is at work just about everywhere you look Take your own body for example Every single move you make from picking up a pencil to carrying a backpack depends on your muscles You have hundreds of muscles in your body and they allow you to move in thousands of different ways Some people train their muscles to be stronger or faster Others teach them to do delicate things such as perform surgery or play the violin But the science of strength is about more than just muscles From powerful animals to strength-boosting technology our world is loaded with examples of incredible strength Get ready to explore how strength plays a part in just about everything we do 4