Will the 100m ever be run in under 8 secs?

Well in nearly 80 years, the world record hasn't been bettered by even a full second despite steadily declining ( I think it was 10.30 seconds in 1930!), so that's highly unlikely in the next 100 years unless someone cheats of course.
 
I think it was "calculated" somewhere that 9.50 is close to the ultimate limit for a man.
 
Under 8 seconds.......no chance in hell. Not without the aid of wheels and something highly explosive strapped to his back.
 
reddevilcanada said:
It could happen with genetically modified humans in future, thanks to science.
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And add doping into the question, 9 sec is not out of the question. You'll have to be practically an android to break 8 sec though.
 
No I think it will get down to 9.2-9.3 in the next century though
 
Yes, at some point in the future it will be possible - evolution guys.
 
under 8 seconds seems pretty unlikely as we are. it would probably require quite an evolutionary leap.

You could probably do it with eugenics in several generations..
 
Count Duckula said:
Except that if anything the human body is evolving to be fatter and more useless.
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Some people maybe, apart from that the world record got broken today, and will continue to get broken in the future. The fastest of our species will only continue to get faster, the fatter, fatter. It wont be an evolutionary leap, it will be in the far, far future after continued, and slow evolution.
 
muller said:
Some people maybe, apart from that the world record got broken today, and will continue to get broken in the future. The fastest of our species will only continue to get faster, the fatter, fatter. It wont be an evolutionary leap, it will be in the far, far future after continued, and slow evolution.
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I don't know; I think the reason the record is getting lower and lower is due to better training methods and better diet, not because of substantially superior genes. I very much doubt that Bolt is any more "evolved" than his ancestors -- he just has a much better environment with which to hone his skills.

Also, that would suggest that his successor will beat his record, as he would himself be slightly more evolved. Something I very much doubt; I'm fairly certain that when Bolt calls it a day his fastest time will be the fastest time for a long while.

Evolution happens as genes that fit the circumstances best survive. In the wild, that means that genes that offer better chances of not dying are the ones that propagate. In this modern age, though, genes (and, indeed, their bearers) who would not survive in the wild are surviving since we no longer live in the forests and get eaten by bears. Their slightly less useful-for-surviving genes are therefore spread into the gene pool, and as a result the human race as a whole tends to get ever so gradually slower.

So, yes, if we breed people like dogs and make sure fast athletes only mate with other fast athletes to maintain their pedigree, then we probably will see a slow improvement in their genes, or at least the maintaining of their current state. But the way the world works now, we're going to see a decline in the physical quality on average of our genes.

Which can, of course, be offset by training and diet. But we're not, as you suggest, evolving to be faster.
 
Count Duckula said:
I don't know; I think the reason the record is getting lower and lower is due to better training methods and better diet, not because of substantially superior genes. I very much doubt that Bolt is any more "evolved" than his ancestors -- he just has a much better environment with which to hone his skills.

Also, that would suggest that his successor will beat his record, as he would himself be slightly more evolved. Something I very much doubt; I'm fairly certain that when Bolt calls it a day his fastest time will be the fastest time for a long while.

Evolution happens as genes that fit the circumstances best survive. In the wild, that means that genes that offer better chances of not dying are the ones that propagate. In this modern age, though, genes (and, indeed, their bearers) who would not survive in the wild are surviving since we no longer live in the forests and get eaten by bears. Their slightly less useful-for-surviving genes are therefore spread into the gene pool, and as a result the human race as a whole tends to get ever so gradually slower.

So, yes, if we breed people like dogs and make sure fast athletes only mate with other fast athletes to maintain their pedigree, then we probably will see a slow improvement in their genes, or at least the maintaining of their current state. But the way the world works now, we're going to see a decline in the physical quality on average of our genes.

Which can, of course, be offset by training and diet. But we're not, as you suggest, evolving to be faster.
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I think you may have missed my point.

Whilst training programmes and equipment certainly play a large part in the improvement in time, as a species, certain individuals are getting faster. Not all of us, but we are becoming stronger as a species. Diets etc help, and will continue to help children be born with stronger muscle tissue (infact recent studies carried out in the Journal Of Sports Science have shown that parets who eat a stable diet and exercise well, including pilates and yoga have children born with stronger FT muscle fibres, and an increased span of Adenosine Triphosphate and Creatine Phosphate able to be released. (Biopsies as 12 months).

Point is, whilst external factors are the primary reason - this will continue to make certain people faster and faster - very slowly, but in time, the 8 second barrier will certainly fall.

(Even if it takes untill men are 12 foot tall and have ridiculously long legs - you cant deny as a species we are growing taller!)
 
You must see that Bolt compared to others, he's really tall. Like 1 full head. if Bolt had the muscles of Tyson Gay he'll run 9.5 easily.
 
SiYuan said:
You must see that Bolt compared to others, he's really tall. Like 1 full head. if Bolt had the muscles of Tyson Gay he'll run 9.5 easily.
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Absolutely not. Bolt exactly showed that muscles are not that imporant at all. His body construction is absolutely perfect.
 
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