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WILLIAM SHATNER:
The ability to survive
freezing temperatures

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WILLIAM SHATNER:
The ability to survive
freezing temperatures
through sheer force of will.

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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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♪ ♪

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SHATNER:
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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for over an hour,
wearing only a pair of shorts.

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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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WIM HOF:
The most challenging

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WIM HOF:
The most challenging
aspect of going into the cold

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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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All the doctors said,
"You are the Iceman.
"You are a freak of nature.

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"You are a freak of nature.

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"You are a freak of nature.
"You are an abnormality.

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"You are an abnormality.

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You are a superhuman."

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You are a superhuman."
But I'm as human as any person,

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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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SHATNER:
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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HOF:
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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with my body,
with my god, with a depth.
And that is now 45 years ago.

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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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THOMAS COYNE:
In these ungodly,
below-freezing temperatures,

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your average person
can freeze to death

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your average person
can freeze to death
in less than 30 minutes.

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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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SHATNER:
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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If we follow the breath...
(inhaling, exhaling)

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(inhaling, exhaling)

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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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than doctors thought
was possible.
When I go in a brain scan
or in a fMRI,

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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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MITCH HOROWITZ:
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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where the body is freed
from perceived limitations,
making him more resilient

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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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SHATNER:
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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an ancient Tibetan breathing
technique known as "tummo,"
which, if done properly,

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which, if done properly,

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can raise a person's
body temperature.

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STEVE MAGNESS:
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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(chanting in foreign language)

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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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all the way to the top
of their head.
And it's believed

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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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by practicing this meditation
and breathing strategy.
Tummo gave them control

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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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AMIR HUSSAIN:
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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with sheets over them
in a very, very cold room

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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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It's as if they're covered
in a hot, wet blanket,
but they're doing it internally.

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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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but it's a technique
that anyone can use.
Anyone can be taught
how to do this.

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Anyone can be taught
how to do this.

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(chanting in foreign language)

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SHATNER:
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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JUSTIN ROSALES:
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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third-degree frostbite."
And Wim just was so mad.

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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 skin healed completely.
The "irreparable damage,"

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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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(exclaiming)

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SHATNER:
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 food, without water,
without breathing.

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without breathing.

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without breathing.
There are some yogic traditions

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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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in which people are able
to pierce the body
or lay on beds of nails

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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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be connected to our thoughts?
It's an exciting notion.

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It's an exciting notion.

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It's an exciting notion.
And it also makes you wonder

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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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HOF: We have a much more
possible control

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over our mind and body

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over our mind and body
than meets the eye.

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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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SHATNER:
In this small town,
in the heart of Marin County,

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lives world-renowned
ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes.

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lives world-renowned
ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes.
And by all accounts,

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And by all accounts,

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he was born to run.

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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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And as soon as
that jingle went off,

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And as soon as
that jingle went off,
I was out of there.

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I was out of there.

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I felt like, when I was running,

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I felt most alive,
like, most complete.

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It's hard to describe,
but I just remember the way

250
00:11:35,332 --> 00:11:37,403
the air used to feel on my skin

251
00:11:37,403 --> 00:11:37,436
the air used to feel on my skin
and the leaves changing color.

252
00:11:37,436 --> 00:11:39,140
and the leaves changing color.

253
00:11:39,207 --> 00:11:41,546
I just started relating
to the world through running.

254
00:11:42,948 --> 00:11:45,854
LUKE:
Dean's somewhat of an icon
in the running community

255
00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,896
in the sense that he can do
things other people can't.

256
00:11:50,062 --> 00:11:51,833
Dean's definitely a superman

257
00:11:51,932 --> 00:11:56,374
in terms of being able
to run long distances

258
00:11:56,374 --> 00:11:56,408
in terms of being able
to run long distances
repetitive days, back-to-back.

259
00:11:56,408 --> 00:11:58,780
repetitive days, back-to-back.

260
00:12:00,382 --> 00:12:01,752
SHATNER:
Among Dean's many

261
00:12:01,886 --> 00:12:03,590
record-breaking
running achievements

262
00:12:03,856 --> 00:12:07,798
are completing 50 marathons
in 50 consecutive days,

263
00:12:07,898 --> 00:12:11,138
running 135 miles
across Death Valley--

264
00:12:11,271 --> 00:12:13,844
one of the hottest
regions on Earth--

265
00:12:13,943 --> 00:12:19,487
and accomplishing
a 75-day, 3,000-mile run

266
00:12:19,487 --> 00:12:19,555
and accomplishing
a 75-day, 3,000-mile run
across
the entire United States.

267
00:12:19,555 --> 00:12:22,995
across
the entire United States.

268
00:12:24,197 --> 00:12:26,201
But perhaps his most
incredible achievement

269
00:12:26,334 --> 00:12:29,273
occurred on
October 12, 2005...

270
00:12:30,309 --> 00:12:35,286
...when Dean ran 350 miles
without stopping.

271
00:12:36,354 --> 00:12:40,429
I think I decided to run 350
miles nonstop out of curiosity.

272
00:12:40,429 --> 00:12:40,430
I think I decided to run 350
miles nonstop out of curiosity.
I want wanted to see

273
00:12:40,430 --> 00:12:41,866
I want wanted to see

274
00:12:41,966 --> 00:12:43,804
how far I could push
my body and my mind.

275
00:12:43,970 --> 00:12:45,540
And I completed it.

276
00:12:45,607 --> 00:12:49,281
It took me 80 hours and 44
minutes of continuous running.

277
00:12:50,449 --> 00:12:53,121
Three days straight without
stopping to eat or sleep.

278
00:12:55,325 --> 00:12:57,598
SHATNER:
Dean's feats are astounding,

279
00:12:57,864 --> 00:13:00,838
and he's arguably the greatest
athlete in the history

280
00:13:00,970 --> 00:13:03,508
of what is called ultrarunning.

281
00:13:03,609 --> 00:13:06,916
MAGNESS:
Ultrarunning is
any distance running

282
00:13:07,049 --> 00:13:09,153
that goes further
than the marathon.

283
00:13:09,253 --> 00:13:11,993
So it could be
anything from 30 miles

284
00:13:12,159 --> 00:13:13,428
all the way up to races

285
00:13:13,528 --> 00:13:16,334
that are hundreds or even
thousands of miles.

286
00:13:17,336 --> 00:13:19,608
The six-day race
was the precursor

287
00:13:19,608 --> 00:13:19,641
The six-day race
was the precursor
to modern ultramarathon running.

288
00:13:19,641 --> 00:13:21,645
to modern ultramarathon running.

289
00:13:21,645 --> 00:13:21,713
to modern ultramarathon running.
It originated in
the 1700s in England.

290
00:13:21,713 --> 00:13:25,019
It originated in
the 1700s in England.

291
00:13:25,185 --> 00:13:26,656
These athletes tried to cover

292
00:13:26,922 --> 00:13:30,396
as much distance as they
possibly could in six days.

293
00:13:30,496 --> 00:13:33,669
So they would sleep
as little as possible,

294
00:13:33,936 --> 00:13:37,844
often only getting an hour
or two of sleep during each day,

295
00:13:37,944 --> 00:13:40,483
to try and cover as much
distance as possible.

296
00:13:41,585 --> 00:13:45,026
Early on, these athletes
would run 400 and 500 miles.

297
00:13:46,060 --> 00:13:49,635
But in 1888 George Littlewood
set a new record

298
00:13:49,902 --> 00:13:53,442
for the six-day challenge,
covering 623 miles.

299
00:13:53,508 --> 00:13:58,351
So that's over 100 miles
a day of running or walking.

300
00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,091
That was so good

301
00:14:01,191 --> 00:14:03,863
that that record
almost stood 100 years,

302
00:14:04,030 --> 00:14:05,935
until Yiannis Kouros,

303
00:14:06,034 --> 00:14:08,005
a Greek runner
who was one of the best

304
00:14:08,138 --> 00:14:11,177
ultrarunners in history,
finally broke it.

305
00:14:11,211 --> 00:14:14,618
So that gives you an indication
of how good these athletes are.

306
00:14:16,488 --> 00:14:18,125
SHATNER:
But it's not just athletes

307
00:14:18,191 --> 00:14:21,665
who choose to run
such mind-boggling distances.

308
00:14:21,665 --> 00:14:21,732
who choose to run
such mind-boggling distances.
In fact, there's
an entire community

309
00:14:21,732 --> 00:14:24,337
In fact, there's
an entire community

310
00:14:24,437 --> 00:14:27,911
that runs just as far
as ultramarathoners do...

311
00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,121
...and they've been doing it
for thousands of years.

312
00:14:38,699 --> 00:14:42,139
Here in this harsh region
of 10,000 foot plateaus,

313
00:14:42,306 --> 00:14:45,279
far from modern civilization,

314
00:14:45,379 --> 00:14:49,220
live a group of people
known as the Rarámuri.

315
00:14:50,557 --> 00:14:52,126
Descended from
a prehistoric society

316
00:14:52,326 --> 00:14:53,796
of foragers and hunters,

317
00:14:54,063 --> 00:14:58,138
the Rarámuri still live in
relatively primitive conditions.

318
00:14:58,205 --> 00:15:03,182
But incredibly, they possess
a unique ability to run

319
00:15:03,315 --> 00:15:06,454
for hundreds of miles
in a single day.

320
00:15:06,521 --> 00:15:09,962
TOK THOMPSON:
The name Rarámuri
seems to be derived from

321
00:15:10,095 --> 00:15:12,233
meaning "those who run fast."

322
00:15:12,333 --> 00:15:15,306
So, not surprisingly,
the Rarámuri are known

323
00:15:15,439 --> 00:15:17,545
as exceptional
long-distance runners,

324
00:15:17,644 --> 00:15:20,049
far in excess of
what most people think

325
00:15:20,215 --> 00:15:21,986
people should be able to do.

326
00:15:23,121 --> 00:15:25,292
They have running competitions
and running rituals

327
00:15:25,359 --> 00:15:29,033
that would put a lot of other
long-distance runners to shame.

328
00:15:30,068 --> 00:15:32,173
They don't have
the modern accoutrements

329
00:15:32,373 --> 00:15:33,375
or modern sneakers.

330
00:15:33,508 --> 00:15:34,979
They tend to run
in either sandals

331
00:15:35,145 --> 00:15:36,583
or barefoot.

332
00:15:36,682 --> 00:15:40,657
And they do this as a big
part of their culture.

333
00:15:43,228 --> 00:15:44,765
SHATNER:
Since the dawn of mankind,

334
00:15:44,765 --> 00:15:44,865
SHATNER:
Since the dawn of mankind,
our ability to run
for a long period of time

335
00:15:44,865 --> 00:15:47,069
our ability to run
for a long period of time

336
00:15:47,203 --> 00:15:50,008
has given humans
a great advantage...

337
00:15:51,244 --> 00:15:53,415
...especially when it came to
hunting and searching for food.

338
00:15:53,448 --> 00:15:56,622
THOMPSON:
Humans are one of the best
long-distance runners

339
00:15:56,622 --> 00:15:56,655
THOMPSON:
Humans are one of the best
long-distance runners
in the entire animal kingdom.

340
00:15:56,655 --> 00:15:58,392
in the entire animal kingdom.

341
00:15:58,425 --> 00:16:03,401
We could actually run down
things like deer and antelope.

342
00:16:03,535 --> 00:16:05,540
We're not as fast
in the short run,

343
00:16:05,673 --> 00:16:07,410
but in terms of
long-distance running,

344
00:16:07,543 --> 00:16:09,615
a human being could,
theoretically,

345
00:16:09,715 --> 00:16:12,621
run down just about
any animal on Earth.

346
00:16:14,156 --> 00:16:15,693
SHATNER:
In ancient times,

347
00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,433
running was not only used
as a means of stalking prey.

348
00:16:19,533 --> 00:16:24,310
It was also a method
of long-range communication.

349
00:16:25,546 --> 00:16:28,152
MAGNESS:
Running served a vital purpose
for the Ancient Greeks.

350
00:16:28,285 --> 00:16:31,057
They served as couriers
or messengers.

351
00:16:31,157 --> 00:16:33,663
They were essentially
the ancient mail system

352
00:16:33,663 --> 00:16:35,432
for the Greeks,

353
00:16:35,499 --> 00:16:40,309
and it was vital for military
strategy in particular.

354
00:16:41,579 --> 00:16:45,253
RIC RADER:
In antiquity, the best way
to convey messages,

355
00:16:45,419 --> 00:16:47,223
especially matters of war,

356
00:16:47,356 --> 00:16:49,060
matters of religion,
and so forth,

357
00:16:49,193 --> 00:16:51,666
was to send a "hemerodromos."

358
00:16:51,765 --> 00:16:53,970
So that's the Greek word
for a day runner.

359
00:16:54,170 --> 00:16:55,974
It was a special class

360
00:16:56,207 --> 00:17:00,783
of people specifically trained
for this and specifically

361
00:17:00,783 --> 00:17:00,817
of people specifically trained
for this and specifically
equipped physiologically

362
00:17:00,817 --> 00:17:02,855
equipped physiologically

363
00:17:03,121 --> 00:17:06,027
not only to deliver a message
in a timely fashion,

364
00:17:06,227 --> 00:17:07,296
but to do it

365
00:17:07,463 --> 00:17:10,703
over very rugged terrain,

366
00:17:10,703 --> 00:17:10,737
over very rugged terrain,
over several hundred miles.

367
00:17:10,737 --> 00:17:12,406
over several hundred miles.

368
00:17:13,508 --> 00:17:15,112
So, in that regard,

369
00:17:15,178 --> 00:17:18,419
the extent to which
the hemerodromos can perform

370
00:17:18,552 --> 00:17:20,489
these amazing feats
would suggest

371
00:17:20,590 --> 00:17:24,297
that it requires a kind of
superhuman ability.

372
00:17:25,432 --> 00:17:27,403
SHATNER:
In the case of Dean Karnazes,

373
00:17:27,570 --> 00:17:30,409
his superhuman running ability

374
00:17:30,442 --> 00:17:34,551
may be due to the fact that he
is actually of Greek descent.

375
00:17:34,618 --> 00:17:37,791
KARNAZES:
I think my ability
to run long distances

376
00:17:37,891 --> 00:17:40,095
is influenced, definitely,
by my Greek heritage.

377
00:17:40,295 --> 00:17:41,832
I'm 100% Greek

378
00:17:41,899 --> 00:17:43,468
and Greece is the birthplace
of long-distance running,

379
00:17:43,602 --> 00:17:45,305
and I've known that
for a long time.

380
00:17:46,608 --> 00:17:49,013
I think I have
the natural ability

381
00:17:49,113 --> 00:17:52,353
to run long distances
from my heritage.

382
00:17:52,453 --> 00:17:54,390
But having the will
to do it is another thing.

383
00:17:54,490 --> 00:17:57,396
And I think I just have
the will to do it.

384
00:17:58,498 --> 00:18:03,108
Is the ability to run for days
on end actually hereditary?

385
00:18:03,274 --> 00:18:05,112
Well, even if that's true,

386
00:18:05,212 --> 00:18:09,153
it doesn't explain
another superhuman ability:

387
00:18:09,253 --> 00:18:12,226
the ability to swim
hundreds of feet underwater

388
00:18:12,393 --> 00:18:14,698
without taking a single breath.

389
00:18:21,879 --> 00:18:23,983
SHATNER: Lying within
the coastal mountains

390
00:18:24,150 --> 00:18:25,720
of this frigid landscape

391
00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,456
is Lake Qorlortoq.

392
00:18:28,525 --> 00:18:30,831
Covered beneath
a million tons of ice,

393
00:18:30,897 --> 00:18:34,170
its crystal blue waters hover
at a hypothermia-inducing

394
00:18:34,336 --> 00:18:36,141
33 degrees Fahrenheit.

395
00:18:36,307 --> 00:18:38,378
One degree above freezing.

396
00:18:39,513 --> 00:18:41,686
Wearing only
a pair of swim trunks,

397
00:18:41,752 --> 00:18:45,893
four-time world champion
free diver Stig Severinsen

398
00:18:45,893 --> 00:18:45,927
four-time world champion
free diver Stig Severinsen
plunges into the icy water

399
00:18:45,927 --> 00:18:47,897
plunges into the icy water

400
00:18:47,897 --> 00:18:47,965
plunges into the icy water
in an attempt
to set a new record

401
00:18:47,965 --> 00:18:50,269
in an attempt
to set a new record

402
00:18:50,435 --> 00:18:53,208
for the longest swim under ice.

403
00:18:54,578 --> 00:18:57,450
Without an oxygen tank
and unable to surface,

404
00:18:57,584 --> 00:19:00,355
he risks unconsciousness
and death

405
00:19:00,522 --> 00:19:04,097
as he swims 250 feet underwater,

406
00:19:04,196 --> 00:19:07,904
or nearly the length
of a football field.

407
00:19:07,904 --> 00:19:07,938
or nearly the length
of a football field.
SEVERINSEN:
When most people

408
00:19:07,938 --> 00:19:10,275
SEVERINSEN:
When most people

409
00:19:10,442 --> 00:19:11,946
jump in ice-cold water...

410
00:19:12,212 --> 00:19:15,318
(snorting) ...they start
gasping and they panic.

411
00:19:16,521 --> 00:19:17,523
Within minutes,

412
00:19:17,690 --> 00:19:20,495
you become icy cold to the core,

413
00:19:20,630 --> 00:19:24,504
and your body can
simply shut down.

414
00:19:24,604 --> 00:19:27,610
I understand that people
think it's crazy or wild

415
00:19:27,610 --> 00:19:29,313
or stupid, even.

416
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,250
You know? Unbelievable.

417
00:19:31,417 --> 00:19:32,754
But I love to challenge science.

418
00:19:32,854 --> 00:19:35,192
I love to challenge
the human physiology.

419
00:19:35,392 --> 00:19:36,695
Human potential.

420
00:19:41,939 --> 00:19:43,576
-That is great.
-Wow.

421
00:19:43,709 --> 00:19:45,713
SHATNER:
Stig's swim beneath the ice

422
00:19:45,813 --> 00:19:48,719
wasn't the first time
he went to extremes.

423
00:19:51,023 --> 00:19:54,296
In May of 2012,
he also held his breath

424
00:19:54,463 --> 00:19:58,104
for an astonishing 22 minutes.

425
00:19:58,371 --> 00:20:01,612
But what would compel someone
to push themselves to the limit,

426
00:20:01,745 --> 00:20:04,785
risking death
just to pull off a stunt?

427
00:20:05,753 --> 00:20:07,223
HOROWITZ:
Some of us

428
00:20:07,322 --> 00:20:09,761
seem to be hardwired
to push the limits.

429
00:20:09,761 --> 00:20:09,762
seem to be hardwired
to push the limits.
Some of us seem to crave

430
00:20:09,762 --> 00:20:12,332
Some of us seem to crave

431
00:20:12,499 --> 00:20:16,609
excitement, intensity, euphoria.

432
00:20:16,708 --> 00:20:20,215
There seem to be
a certain fraction of people

433
00:20:20,382 --> 00:20:23,856
in need of physical activities

434
00:20:23,923 --> 00:20:26,662
or other kinds of activities
that push the limits of

435
00:20:26,762 --> 00:20:30,269
safety or human possibility
or perseverance.

436
00:20:30,402 --> 00:20:33,976
Now, it's a question
as to whether

437
00:20:33,976 --> 00:20:34,043
Now, it's a question
as to whether
these people are
seeking euphoria

438
00:20:34,043 --> 00:20:35,914
these people are
seeking euphoria

439
00:20:35,980 --> 00:20:39,320
or whether they're seeking
some greater,

440
00:20:39,420 --> 00:20:41,391
more visceral connection
with themselves.

441
00:20:42,493 --> 00:20:46,401
Humans have this drive
and this need to seek novelty,

442
00:20:46,501 --> 00:20:49,841
to see what's on
the other side of the unknown.

443
00:20:49,941 --> 00:20:53,816
And it's something that is
incredibly dangerous,

444
00:20:53,883 --> 00:20:59,026
but also makes us able to do
insanely difficult things.

445
00:21:00,328 --> 00:21:02,332
SHATNER: In the late 18th
and early 19th centuries,

446
00:21:02,432 --> 00:21:05,038
a new breed of thrill
seekers popularized

447
00:21:05,105 --> 00:21:09,413
the public display of pushing
the limits of human ability,

448
00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,188
risking life and limb to
perform death-defying feats

449
00:21:13,321 --> 00:21:15,359
in pursuit of fame and fortune.

450
00:21:15,492 --> 00:21:17,964
And the first
of these daredevils

451
00:21:17,964 --> 00:21:17,998
And the first
of these daredevils
was a man named Sam Patch.

452
00:21:17,998 --> 00:21:21,337
was a man named Sam Patch.

453
00:21:21,437 --> 00:21:23,242
DARRIN McMAHON:
Sam Patch was the Evil Knievel

454
00:21:23,408 --> 00:21:24,845
of the early 19th century.

455
00:21:24,978 --> 00:21:26,815
They called him
"the Jersey Jumper,"

456
00:21:26,815 --> 00:21:26,816
They called him
"the Jersey Jumper,"
"the Yankee Leaper."

457
00:21:26,816 --> 00:21:28,084
"the Yankee Leaper."

458
00:21:28,084 --> 00:21:28,118
"the Yankee Leaper."
He liked to jump off things.

459
00:21:28,118 --> 00:21:29,854
He liked to jump off things.

460
00:21:29,921 --> 00:21:34,732
Famously, they had a platform
erected in Niagara Falls

461
00:21:34,864 --> 00:21:36,569
so that he could jump
into the water,

462
00:21:36,635 --> 00:21:40,442
but from a really high level:
75 or 100 feet.

463
00:21:40,576 --> 00:21:42,947
Unfortunately,
it's risky business,

464
00:21:42,947 --> 00:21:42,981
Unfortunately,
it's risky business,
and in 1829, on Friday the 13th,

465
00:21:42,981 --> 00:21:45,686
and in 1829, on Friday the 13th,

466
00:21:45,820 --> 00:21:49,460
he either slipped
or fell awkwardly

467
00:21:49,526 --> 00:21:51,765
and didn't go in feet first
as he normally did.

468
00:21:52,867 --> 00:21:55,272
The audience of several
thousand heard a splat,

469
00:21:55,405 --> 00:21:56,875
and he was never
seen from again.

470
00:21:58,411 --> 00:22:00,449
SHATNER:
But Sam Patch's tragic demise

471
00:22:00,549 --> 00:22:03,856
did not deter other
would-be daredevils.

472
00:22:03,989 --> 00:22:06,662
Over the next century,
countless more

473
00:22:06,828 --> 00:22:08,732
followed in his footsteps,

474
00:22:08,832 --> 00:22:11,772
increasing the danger
with every attempt.

475
00:22:13,809 --> 00:22:17,249
Including one who went
to the next level

476
00:22:17,416 --> 00:22:19,755
by taking to the skies.

477
00:22:19,854 --> 00:22:22,760
SCOTT EDEN:
Clem Sohn was an aerialist,

478
00:22:22,827 --> 00:22:27,069
one of the first, maybe
the first to build for himself

479
00:22:27,069 --> 00:22:27,102
one of the first, maybe
the first to build for himself
a kind of gliding suit.

480
00:22:27,102 --> 00:22:28,706
a kind of gliding suit.

481
00:22:29,808 --> 00:22:31,545
He would jump out of airplanes

482
00:22:31,612 --> 00:22:35,820
with the wings attached
and a kind of tail structure.

483
00:22:35,886 --> 00:22:38,491
McMAHON:
One of his nicknames
was "the Birdman."

484
00:22:38,626 --> 00:22:40,897
He would glide
for thousands of feet

485
00:22:41,030 --> 00:22:43,535
and then eventually
pull the ripcord

486
00:22:43,702 --> 00:22:45,940
and parachute to safety,

487
00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,679
and he did this
on both sides of the Atlantic.

488
00:22:48,779 --> 00:22:52,019
Unfortunately,
outside of Paris in 1937,

489
00:22:52,085 --> 00:22:55,025
in front of a crowd of
as many as 100,000 people...

490
00:22:56,027 --> 00:22:57,396
...he glided through the air,

491
00:22:57,529 --> 00:23:00,068
and then his first chute
failed to open...

492
00:23:01,638 --> 00:23:05,546
...and then the second one,
and he plunged to his death.

493
00:23:11,758 --> 00:23:13,361
SHATNER:
The practice of performing

494
00:23:13,461 --> 00:23:16,568
thrill-seeking feats
is alive and well today,

495
00:23:16,635 --> 00:23:19,708
even if not all daredevils
survive their attempts

496
00:23:19,874 --> 00:23:21,611
to push the limits.

497
00:23:22,613 --> 00:23:24,483
But why do so many human beings

498
00:23:24,584 --> 00:23:27,490
feel the need to pursue
incredible feats,

499
00:23:27,623 --> 00:23:29,928
even if it means
risking our lives?

500
00:23:31,163 --> 00:23:33,201
MAGNESS:
Pushing boundaries
and pushing limits

501
00:23:33,201 --> 00:23:33,234
MAGNESS:
Pushing boundaries
and pushing limits
is part of our human nature.

502
00:23:33,234 --> 00:23:35,071
is part of our human nature.

503
00:23:36,140 --> 00:23:38,111
You would think that
would be counterintuitive.

504
00:23:38,177 --> 00:23:41,818
Seeking pain seems like
not the brightest thing to do

505
00:23:41,918 --> 00:23:44,691
because we're going
against our survival.

506
00:23:45,726 --> 00:23:49,601
If you look at any animal
in the animal kingdom,

507
00:23:49,701 --> 00:23:51,972
none of them really do
things that go against

508
00:23:51,972 --> 00:23:51,973
none of them really do
things that go against
survival instincts.

509
00:23:51,973 --> 00:23:53,576
survival instincts.

510
00:23:53,742 --> 00:23:55,211
They just want to survive.

511
00:23:56,247 --> 00:23:57,884
Human beings,
on the other hand...

512
00:23:59,486 --> 00:24:01,892
...we will seek out
things that put us

513
00:24:01,992 --> 00:24:06,768
at immense risk
and not for any external reward,

514
00:24:06,868 --> 00:24:10,577
but really for the internal
reward of doing it.

515
00:24:10,676 --> 00:24:14,183
Seeking something difficult,
something hard,

516
00:24:14,183 --> 00:24:14,249
Seeking something difficult,
something hard,
often makes people feel alive.

517
00:24:14,249 --> 00:24:17,155
often makes people feel alive.

518
00:24:19,761 --> 00:24:22,466
Is it possible that
by risking death,

519
00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:27,243
people can unlock the ability
to perform superhuman feats?

520
00:24:27,309 --> 00:24:29,848
Well, there's a famous story
from American folklore

521
00:24:29,981 --> 00:24:32,854
which suggests
that might be true.

522
00:24:32,954 --> 00:24:35,693
It's the tale of someone
who defied the odds

523
00:24:35,860 --> 00:24:38,397
in a competition that pitted man

524
00:24:38,599 --> 00:24:41,738
against machine.

525
00:24:44,243 --> 00:24:46,147
SHATNER:
For centuries, mankind

526
00:24:46,147 --> 00:24:46,180
SHATNER:
For centuries, mankind
has told stories about people

527
00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:47,850
has told stories about people

528
00:24:47,984 --> 00:24:50,590
who have the ability
to perform feats

529
00:24:50,689 --> 00:24:54,731
that require extraordinary
physical strength.

530
00:24:54,898 --> 00:24:57,436
But why are
we so fascinated

531
00:24:57,570 --> 00:25:00,008
by these superhuman characters?

532
00:25:01,010 --> 00:25:02,847
LYNNE McNEILL:
We love stories

533
00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:07,189
about humans that push the
boundaries of exceptionalism.

534
00:25:07,289 --> 00:25:11,932
And history is full of
this kind of folk hero...

535
00:25:12,934 --> 00:25:16,609
...who is stronger
than any other human.

536
00:25:16,675 --> 00:25:19,681
We have characters like
Hercules who are half god.

537
00:25:19,814 --> 00:25:21,785
That's the source
of his strength.

538
00:25:22,820 --> 00:25:24,824
There's someone like
Samson, from the Bible,

539
00:25:24,958 --> 00:25:26,862
whose hair gives him strength

540
00:25:26,962 --> 00:25:29,601
beyond what a normal human
might have.

541
00:25:29,734 --> 00:25:32,807
And nowadays,
we have superheroes:

542
00:25:32,874 --> 00:25:37,482
Batman, Spiderman, characters
who similarly are human,

543
00:25:37,583 --> 00:25:40,657
but a little bit better
than other humans.

544
00:25:40,856 --> 00:25:42,960
All these stories

545
00:25:43,094 --> 00:25:46,501
let us talk about
the possibilities

546
00:25:46,601 --> 00:25:49,373
of human endurance
and human capability.

547
00:25:49,373 --> 00:25:49,440
of human endurance
and human capability.
How far can we push ourselves?

548
00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,645
How far can we push ourselves?

549
00:25:51,745 --> 00:25:54,383
How much faster
and stronger can we be?

550
00:25:59,794 --> 00:26:03,201
SHATNER:
Here, at the foot of
the Allegheny Mountains,

551
00:26:03,301 --> 00:26:05,539
lies a decommissioned
railroad tunnel

552
00:26:05,706 --> 00:26:08,746
known as the Great Bend Tunnel.

553
00:26:08,879 --> 00:26:10,750
According to folklore,

554
00:26:10,883 --> 00:26:12,753
this was the site
of a famous legend

555
00:26:12,954 --> 00:26:14,658
from the 1870s

556
00:26:14,791 --> 00:26:16,562
about a superhuman
railroad worker

557
00:26:16,761 --> 00:26:19,968
named John Henry.

558
00:26:21,103 --> 00:26:24,778
TEMPLE:
The legend is that John Henry
was six-six, 280 pounds,

559
00:26:24,944 --> 00:26:27,315
muscular, solid, glistening.

560
00:26:27,315 --> 00:26:27,382
muscular, solid, glistening.
You could see him
half a mile away.

561
00:26:27,382 --> 00:26:29,754
You could see him
half a mile away.

562
00:26:30,890 --> 00:26:33,161
The legend has it that
he was born in enslavement,

563
00:26:33,261 --> 00:26:35,298
and he had all these goals
for his family

564
00:26:35,298 --> 00:26:35,332
and he had all these goals
for his family
coming out of enslavement.

565
00:26:35,332 --> 00:26:37,068
coming out of enslavement.

566
00:26:37,235 --> 00:26:39,339
And he says, "I want a good job.

567
00:26:39,339 --> 00:26:39,406
And he says, "I want a good job.
I want to provide
for my family."

568
00:26:39,406 --> 00:26:41,243
I want to provide
for my family."

569
00:26:41,377 --> 00:26:45,152
And he saw the
C&O railroad laying track

570
00:26:45,251 --> 00:26:48,124
and John Henry shows up
and says, "I'm your guy."

571
00:26:49,827 --> 00:26:53,534
The fable has it that any man
who signed up to work

572
00:26:53,802 --> 00:26:58,546
would get 50 acres of land
if they completed the railroad.

573
00:26:58,712 --> 00:26:59,981
And sometimes this railroad

574
00:27:00,081 --> 00:27:02,185
had to be completed
through a mountain.

575
00:27:02,219 --> 00:27:05,659
And so John Henry not simply
laid rail, the railroad track,

576
00:27:05,759 --> 00:27:08,397
but he had to drive
a stake into the rock,

577
00:27:08,464 --> 00:27:12,105
which creates enough space
to then load dynamite.

578
00:27:13,140 --> 00:27:15,345
John Henry was
the best steel driver,

579
00:27:15,445 --> 00:27:18,317
and then here comes a man
with a steam drill.

580
00:27:19,353 --> 00:27:22,026
The legend speaks of
this race taking place

581
00:27:22,158 --> 00:27:24,664
between John Henry
and the machine.

582
00:27:24,831 --> 00:27:26,835
(train whistle blows)

583
00:27:27,002 --> 00:27:29,039
SHATNER:
As the story goes,

584
00:27:29,139 --> 00:27:30,776
there was a competition
between John Henry

585
00:27:30,910 --> 00:27:33,348
and the machine
to see which of them

586
00:27:33,447 --> 00:27:35,653
could drill farthest into
the side of the mountain

587
00:27:35,853 --> 00:27:37,557
in a single day.

588
00:27:37,757 --> 00:27:39,326
During the contest,

589
00:27:39,393 --> 00:27:41,832
the strength of John Henry
was reportedly so powerful,

590
00:27:41,932 --> 00:27:44,003
that the blows from
his twin sledgehammers

591
00:27:44,169 --> 00:27:47,042
shook the mountain itself.

592
00:27:48,745 --> 00:27:50,048
The story is that

593
00:27:50,181 --> 00:27:52,452
the steam drill
only went nine feet.

594
00:27:52,452 --> 00:27:52,453
the steam drill
only went nine feet.
John Henry went 14.

595
00:27:52,453 --> 00:27:54,891
John Henry went 14.

596
00:27:55,926 --> 00:27:58,031
And so John Henry is superhuman

597
00:27:58,164 --> 00:27:59,734
and more supreme
than the machine.

598
00:28:00,501 --> 00:28:01,939
NAMA: John Henry

599
00:28:02,072 --> 00:28:05,244
beats the machine
in this competition.

600
00:28:07,048 --> 00:28:08,719
But he passes away:

601
00:28:08,885 --> 00:28:10,521
he dies of a heart attack.

602
00:28:11,891 --> 00:28:14,496
He dies from overexertion.

603
00:28:14,496 --> 00:28:14,497
He dies from overexertion.
And what we have here

604
00:28:14,497 --> 00:28:16,902
And what we have here

605
00:28:17,035 --> 00:28:20,743
is John Henry
begins to symbolize

606
00:28:20,843 --> 00:28:24,918
this overpowering physique
of a muscleman

607
00:28:25,084 --> 00:28:28,024
and the ability to achieve

608
00:28:28,190 --> 00:28:30,829
in the face of extreme odds.

609
00:28:32,165 --> 00:28:35,806
TEMPLE:
The legend of John Henry
represents this Black man,

610
00:28:35,939 --> 00:28:37,977
this hero who did
superhuman feats,

611
00:28:38,144 --> 00:28:40,048
from the 19th century.

612
00:28:40,114 --> 00:28:43,656
It overshadows the harshness
of the Reconstruction period,

613
00:28:43,855 --> 00:28:45,458
but it also shows us how

614
00:28:45,458 --> 00:28:45,525
but it also shows us how
Black men who were able-bodied,

615
00:28:45,525 --> 00:28:47,062
Black men who were able-bodied,

616
00:28:47,262 --> 00:28:49,200
who had that spirit of

617
00:28:49,299 --> 00:28:51,771
willing to do anything
they needed to do

618
00:28:51,905 --> 00:28:54,009
to provide for their families.

619
00:28:56,013 --> 00:29:00,254
McNEILL:
Most of us know about
John Henry from a literary work.

620
00:29:01,390 --> 00:29:03,461
Like so many folk heroes

621
00:29:03,562 --> 00:29:06,935
from the same time period
in American history,

622
00:29:07,068 --> 00:29:12,279
Paul Bunyan,
Joe Magarac, Pecos Bill,

623
00:29:12,379 --> 00:29:15,552
they are all compatriots
of John Henry in this

624
00:29:15,552 --> 00:29:15,586
they are all compatriots
of John Henry in this
larger-than-life,
super capable

625
00:29:15,586 --> 00:29:18,792
larger-than-life,
super capable

626
00:29:18,959 --> 00:29:21,531
American folk hero model.

627
00:29:21,831 --> 00:29:26,040
And what they capture
is the spirit of industry

628
00:29:26,173 --> 00:29:29,547
that our nation
so badly wanted to embody

629
00:29:29,547 --> 00:29:29,614
that our nation
so badly wanted to embody
and project
to the rest of the world

630
00:29:29,614 --> 00:29:31,718
and project
to the rest of the world

631
00:29:31,885 --> 00:29:33,487
at this point in history.

632
00:29:33,487 --> 00:29:33,521
at this point in history.
(playing "John Henry")

633
00:29:33,521 --> 00:29:35,525
(playing "John Henry")

634
00:29:38,431 --> 00:29:41,705
SHATNER:
The legend of John Henry's
battle against the steam drill

635
00:29:41,938 --> 00:29:45,813
was first immortalized in an
African American folk ballad,

636
00:29:45,913 --> 00:29:49,253
and since then,
the inspirational story

637
00:29:49,386 --> 00:29:52,159
has also been celebrated
numerous times

638
00:29:52,325 --> 00:29:55,632
in magazines, plays, and books.

639
00:29:57,268 --> 00:29:59,340
Another superhuman feat
of John Henry

640
00:29:59,439 --> 00:30:02,145
is that he was able
to inspire so many.

641
00:30:02,312 --> 00:30:04,483
And so whether it's inspiring

642
00:30:04,584 --> 00:30:07,088
in terms of actually
working on the railroad

643
00:30:07,188 --> 00:30:10,797
or other industries,
John Henry was a beacon of that.

644
00:30:10,929 --> 00:30:13,534
Also, in terms of him
losing his life,

645
00:30:13,534 --> 00:30:15,371
that's a sacrifice

646
00:30:15,471 --> 00:30:18,277
that those who came
after him could appreciate,

647
00:30:18,377 --> 00:30:21,885
as they strive to be
as good as John Henry.

648
00:30:22,653 --> 00:30:24,557
NAMA:
There also is an overlap,

649
00:30:24,657 --> 00:30:26,961
certainly, with John Henry
and superheroes.

650
00:30:28,230 --> 00:30:32,807
In the early 1990s,
Superman passed away,

651
00:30:32,973 --> 00:30:34,510
and that set up a situation

652
00:30:34,610 --> 00:30:38,284
for the comic book version
of John Henry

653
00:30:38,451 --> 00:30:40,321
to come in and save the day...

654
00:30:41,423 --> 00:30:43,863
...as the character of Steel

655
00:30:43,962 --> 00:30:47,068
in order to save
the citizens of Metropolis.

656
00:30:47,202 --> 00:30:52,479
He builds a suit,
encased in steel,

657
00:30:52,546 --> 00:30:55,753
and carries, of all things--
would you believe it?--

658
00:30:55,953 --> 00:30:57,355
a sledgehammer.

659
00:30:58,424 --> 00:30:59,928
And that speaks
to kind of, like,

660
00:31:00,061 --> 00:31:02,131
the reinterpretation
of John Henry

661
00:31:02,198 --> 00:31:05,706
within the framework of
the superhero afro-futuristic

662
00:31:05,706 --> 00:31:07,342
sci-fi version.

663
00:31:08,712 --> 00:31:12,419
TEMPLE:
The idea that John Henry
is a superhero,

664
00:31:12,485 --> 00:31:16,393
standing firmly in that space
of post-enslavement

665
00:31:16,493 --> 00:31:18,732
and Reconstruction,
is really phenomenal.

666
00:31:18,999 --> 00:31:22,038
The legend of John Henry
proves that human strength

667
00:31:22,205 --> 00:31:24,811
is inherent in all of us.

668
00:31:25,044 --> 00:31:30,088
Was John Henry's victory over
the steam drill just a myth,

669
00:31:30,254 --> 00:31:32,292
or did it actually happen?

670
00:31:32,358 --> 00:31:35,633
Either way, the story suggests
that people can perform

671
00:31:35,699 --> 00:31:39,539
incredible feats when placed
in dire circumstances.

672
00:31:40,541 --> 00:31:42,212
Like in the case
of two teenage girls

673
00:31:42,312 --> 00:31:44,517
who saved their father
from certain death

674
00:31:44,617 --> 00:31:47,556
with a sudden burst
of superhuman strength.

675
00:31:54,469 --> 00:31:57,275
SHATNER:
While clearing the grounds
of his property,

676
00:31:57,375 --> 00:32:00,214
Jeff Smith loops a chain
around a tree stump...

677
00:32:01,483 --> 00:32:03,688
...and attaches
the other end to his tractor.

678
00:32:04,757 --> 00:32:06,595
But when he throws

679
00:32:06,661 --> 00:32:10,569
the 3,000-pound vehicle
into reverse, disaster strikes.

680
00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:15,244
My boots were fairly muddy,

681
00:32:15,344 --> 00:32:17,683
and my foot slipped off
the clutch.

682
00:32:20,021 --> 00:32:23,629
And the whole tractor just
tipped flat back over on me.

683
00:32:23,662 --> 00:32:25,332
Ah!

684
00:32:25,398 --> 00:32:28,605
The steering wheel ended up
burying into my chest

685
00:32:28,605 --> 00:32:28,672
The steering wheel ended up
burying into my chest
right about where my heart is,

686
00:32:28,672 --> 00:32:31,578
right about where my heart is,

687
00:32:31,644 --> 00:32:34,349
and pinned me in between
the tractor and the ground.

688
00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,158
SHATNER:
Pinned beneath
3,000 pounds of steel,

689
00:32:38,324 --> 00:32:39,760
Jeff screams out in agony.

690
00:32:39,794 --> 00:32:41,531
(screams)

691
00:32:41,631 --> 00:32:43,301
His anguished cries
draw the attention

692
00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,606
of his teenage daughters,
Hannah and Haylee.

693
00:32:46,774 --> 00:32:49,647
But with the nearest town
20 minutes away, there's no time

694
00:32:49,647 --> 00:32:49,681
But with the nearest town
20 minutes away, there's no time
to wait for help to arrive.

695
00:32:49,681 --> 00:32:51,384
to wait for help to arrive.

696
00:32:51,416 --> 00:32:52,954
(groaning)

697
00:32:53,053 --> 00:32:55,860
While my dad was under
the tractor, he was...

698
00:32:56,059 --> 00:32:56,895
He couldn't breathe,

699
00:32:57,061 --> 00:32:59,200
his oxygen was really low.

700
00:32:59,332 --> 00:33:02,372
He kept going in and out
of consciousness.

701
00:33:02,472 --> 00:33:06,581
He was pale,
his lips were kind of blue.

702
00:33:06,714 --> 00:33:08,351
Me and my sister
knew at that point

703
00:33:08,517 --> 00:33:10,054
that we were the only ones

704
00:33:10,187 --> 00:33:12,058
and the only chance
that my dad had.

705
00:33:13,595 --> 00:33:14,764
HAYLEE SMITH:
I was just like

706
00:33:14,764 --> 00:33:14,797
HAYLEE SMITH:
I was just like
so frozen and just so shocked.

707
00:33:14,797 --> 00:33:17,737
so frozen and just so shocked.

708
00:33:17,770 --> 00:33:19,941
(groaning)

709
00:33:20,107 --> 00:33:22,479
And I go and I look at my dad.

710
00:33:22,646 --> 00:33:25,418
He's just like, could not talk,

711
00:33:25,552 --> 00:33:27,624
and his blood vessels
in his eyes,

712
00:33:27,756 --> 00:33:30,094
you could see them
popping one by one.

713
00:33:30,161 --> 00:33:32,266
And it was just horrible.
I had no idea what to do.

714
00:33:32,465 --> 00:33:34,770
So my sister says...

715
00:33:34,770 --> 00:33:34,838
So my sister says...
(sniffles)
"Come help me lift it."

716
00:33:34,838 --> 00:33:37,009
(sniffles)
"Come help me lift it."

717
00:33:37,241 --> 00:33:39,012
(groaning)

718
00:33:39,112 --> 00:33:41,450
SHATNER:
As their father
gasps for breath,

719
00:33:41,551 --> 00:33:43,354
the two sisters
frantically grab the front

720
00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:45,358
of the massive tractor,

721
00:33:45,524 --> 00:33:47,897
set their heels into the ground,

722
00:33:48,130 --> 00:33:49,768
and lift.

723
00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:51,270
(grunting)

724
00:33:51,403 --> 00:33:52,840
HAYLEE:
When we tried to lift it,

725
00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:54,844
it did not move.

726
00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:59,119
I was just done,
and Hannah was just screaming,

727
00:33:59,219 --> 00:34:01,123
"We have to do it again,
we have to do it again."

728
00:34:02,525 --> 00:34:03,996
And I just remember
putting my hands up,

729
00:34:04,162 --> 00:34:04,931
and I was just like,

730
00:34:05,164 --> 00:34:06,734
"How?"

731
00:34:07,836 --> 00:34:11,444
And she just said, "Count."
And so we counted.

732
00:34:11,510 --> 00:34:13,782
And I just remember thinking,
like, "God, help me.

733
00:34:13,782 --> 00:34:13,848
And I just remember thinking,
like, "God, help me.
Give me the strength
to do this."

734
00:34:13,848 --> 00:34:15,518
Give me the strength
to do this."

735
00:34:16,587 --> 00:34:20,028
And she said, "One, two, three"
and we lifted it.

736
00:34:20,261 --> 00:34:22,566
(grunting)

737
00:34:22,700 --> 00:34:24,737
SHATNER:
Together, the two teenage girls

738
00:34:24,804 --> 00:34:28,211
managed to hoist the tractor
one foot off the ground...

739
00:34:28,444 --> 00:34:30,683
(grunting)

740
00:34:30,716 --> 00:34:34,757
...allowing their father enough
room to wiggle out and escape.

741
00:34:36,694 --> 00:34:39,199
My girls lifted
a 3,000-pound tractor off me

742
00:34:39,399 --> 00:34:40,434
and saved my life.

743
00:34:40,569 --> 00:34:43,041
So, I mean,
if my girls had not have

744
00:34:43,173 --> 00:34:45,511
shown that kind of
mysterious strength

745
00:34:45,612 --> 00:34:49,219
of being able to lift that
off my chest...

746
00:34:50,454 --> 00:34:52,860
...I don't think I would have
lasted another five minutes.

747
00:34:52,860 --> 00:34:52,926
...I don't think I would have
lasted another five minutes.
What boggles my mind
to this day,

748
00:34:52,926 --> 00:34:54,831
What boggles my mind
to this day,

749
00:34:54,930 --> 00:34:58,938
which is almost
ten years later, is that...

750
00:34:58,938 --> 00:34:58,972
which is almost
ten years later, is that...
they were able to do it.

751
00:34:58,972 --> 00:35:00,675
they were able to do it.

752
00:35:00,742 --> 00:35:03,080
It's just, to be able to lift
that much weight and...

753
00:35:03,213 --> 00:35:05,151
and save my life is...

754
00:35:05,919 --> 00:35:07,656
...incredible.

755
00:35:07,723 --> 00:35:11,530
It's insane to think that
that was even a possibility.

756
00:35:12,566 --> 00:35:14,571
SHATNER:
How did two teenagers--

757
00:35:14,670 --> 00:35:17,442
each weighing no more
than 125 pounds--

758
00:35:17,542 --> 00:35:21,283
find the strength to lift
a massive tractor?

759
00:35:22,251 --> 00:35:24,222
Scientists believe
the source of their

760
00:35:24,322 --> 00:35:26,894
superhuman strength
may have actually been

761
00:35:26,894 --> 00:35:26,895
superhuman strength
may have actually been
a surge of adrenaline.

762
00:35:26,895 --> 00:35:29,132
a surge of adrenaline.

763
00:35:29,232 --> 00:35:31,938
There's many stories
that you hear about

764
00:35:32,238 --> 00:35:36,714
of people doing superhuman
feats of strength...

765
00:35:37,750 --> 00:35:40,322
...and this usually is
driven by adrenaline.

766
00:35:40,488 --> 00:35:42,492
Adrenaline is that hormone

767
00:35:42,525 --> 00:35:46,333
that can tap into resources
of strength that you might have

768
00:35:46,466 --> 00:35:48,838
when you need it
in that split second

769
00:35:48,838 --> 00:35:48,872
when you need it
in that split second
to drive your whole body

770
00:35:48,872 --> 00:35:52,045
to drive your whole body

771
00:35:52,245 --> 00:35:53,313
to push to the limits

772
00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,554
and do whatever is necessary.

773
00:35:57,790 --> 00:35:59,894
You see it in battle.

774
00:35:59,894 --> 00:35:59,961
You see it in battle.
You hear about it
in an emergency.

775
00:35:59,961 --> 00:36:03,701
You hear about it
in an emergency.

776
00:36:03,802 --> 00:36:06,941
Adrenaline can make
the body do amazing things.

777
00:36:08,477 --> 00:36:09,647
SHATNER:
Scientists have been studying

778
00:36:09,747 --> 00:36:11,751
the remarkable
effects of adrenaline

779
00:36:11,884 --> 00:36:14,924
since it was
first discovered in 1901.

780
00:36:16,259 --> 00:36:19,299
McMAHON:
Jokichi Takamine
was a Japanese chemist

781
00:36:19,365 --> 00:36:22,506
who spent most of his career
in the United States,

782
00:36:22,606 --> 00:36:25,178
and he's the first
person to identify,

783
00:36:25,277 --> 00:36:28,618
purify, and eventually
trademark adrenaline.

784
00:36:29,820 --> 00:36:33,962
And he was able to isolate
the naturally occurring hormone

785
00:36:33,962 --> 00:36:33,995
And he was able to isolate
the naturally occurring hormone
adrenaline in sheep and oxen

786
00:36:33,995 --> 00:36:36,133
adrenaline in sheep and oxen

787
00:36:36,266 --> 00:36:38,872
and to withdraw it
and to purify it.

788
00:36:40,374 --> 00:36:42,278
EDEN:
Jokichi Takamine described

789
00:36:42,411 --> 00:36:44,650
the whole idea
of the adrenaline rush

790
00:36:44,817 --> 00:36:46,486
as a harnessing of reservoirs

791
00:36:46,654 --> 00:36:48,792
of power and a violent sort of

792
00:36:48,892 --> 00:36:51,229
explosion of energy
that occurs in people

793
00:36:51,396 --> 00:36:53,768
who are in crisis situations.

794
00:36:55,471 --> 00:36:58,978
SHATNER:
Did a rush of adrenaline allow
Hannah and Haylee Smith

795
00:36:58,978 --> 00:36:59,012
SHATNER:
Did a rush of adrenaline allow
Hannah and Haylee Smith
to lift a 3,000-pound tractor?

796
00:36:59,012 --> 00:37:02,219
to lift a 3,000-pound tractor?

797
00:37:02,351 --> 00:37:04,590
It's a fascinating possibility,

798
00:37:04,690 --> 00:37:08,464
and suggests that we all
have untapped strength

799
00:37:08,565 --> 00:37:11,336
that can be unlocked
at a moment's notice.

800
00:37:12,305 --> 00:37:14,643
JEFF:
I feel like that their love

801
00:37:14,677 --> 00:37:18,417
granted them enough power to be
able to do what they had to do.

802
00:37:18,585 --> 00:37:20,455
But when it comes down to it,

803
00:37:20,555 --> 00:37:21,825
I think everybody's got
a little bit of

804
00:37:21,924 --> 00:37:24,329
that kind of superhuman
ability in them.

805
00:37:24,462 --> 00:37:26,233
It's just a matter
of tapping into it

806
00:37:26,466 --> 00:37:29,740
and finding the right situation
where it drives them to do it.

807
00:37:31,677 --> 00:37:33,815
The idea that
a shot of adrenaline

808
00:37:33,882 --> 00:37:36,721
can give an ordinary person
the ability to perform

809
00:37:36,888 --> 00:37:39,627
remarkable feats is fascinating.

810
00:37:39,660 --> 00:37:43,066
Believe it or not, there are
scientists who are currently

811
00:37:43,367 --> 00:37:48,144
trying to harness
other kinds of natural powers

812
00:37:48,343 --> 00:37:49,947
to turn us all into

813
00:37:49,947 --> 00:37:52,553
superhumans.

814
00:37:52,586 --> 00:37:54,623
♪ ♪

815
00:38:10,087 --> 00:38:12,291
SHATNER: At the University
of Connecticut's

816
00:38:12,391 --> 00:38:14,763
Department of Genetics
and Genome Sciences,

817
00:38:14,930 --> 00:38:17,502
there is a lab that is home to

818
00:38:17,636 --> 00:38:19,908
dozens of genetically
altered mice.

819
00:38:20,007 --> 00:38:22,880
While these rodents might
appear quite ordinary,

820
00:38:22,980 --> 00:38:25,686
their DNA has actually
been modified

821
00:38:25,785 --> 00:38:29,560
to make them 30% stronger
than normal mice.

822
00:38:30,729 --> 00:38:33,835
Researchers have found ways
to increase muscle mass,

823
00:38:33,835 --> 00:38:35,305
muscle tissue

824
00:38:35,437 --> 00:38:38,978
in ordinary mice to demonstrate

825
00:38:38,978 --> 00:38:39,012
in ordinary mice to demonstrate
extraordinary endurance.

826
00:38:39,012 --> 00:38:41,483
extraordinary endurance.

827
00:38:41,617 --> 00:38:44,757
It's a kind of
Mighty Mouse effect.

828
00:38:44,823 --> 00:38:48,932
And so the question becomes
whether this can be translated

829
00:38:48,932 --> 00:38:50,535
to the human form.

830
00:38:50,635 --> 00:38:53,875
The possibility
that DNA manipulation

831
00:38:53,942 --> 00:38:57,214
might enable people to enjoy
heightened strength and stamina

832
00:38:57,415 --> 00:38:58,851
is intriguing.

833
00:38:58,952 --> 00:39:01,356
And in fact, humans
have been searching for ways

834
00:39:01,523 --> 00:39:03,293
to enhance our natural abilities

835
00:39:03,460 --> 00:39:04,931
for thousands of years.

836
00:39:04,997 --> 00:39:06,634
EDEN:
If you go back
to the ancient Greeks,

837
00:39:06,834 --> 00:39:07,970
the original Olympics,

838
00:39:08,103 --> 00:39:10,541
there are historical
records of them

839
00:39:10,709 --> 00:39:12,580
working with wine potions

840
00:39:12,779 --> 00:39:14,316
and various herbs

841
00:39:14,449 --> 00:39:16,588
to give themselves
performance enhancement.

842
00:39:16,754 --> 00:39:18,056
And then, in terms of

843
00:39:18,156 --> 00:39:20,629
modern use of
performance-enhancing drugs,

844
00:39:20,829 --> 00:39:22,098
it's the Cold War.

845
00:39:22,098 --> 00:39:22,099
it's the Cold War.
The Soviet Union had

846
00:39:22,099 --> 00:39:23,533
The Soviet Union had

847
00:39:23,701 --> 00:39:26,674
a massive drug doping program

848
00:39:26,841 --> 00:39:30,047
as part of its sports programs

849
00:39:30,114 --> 00:39:33,789
in efforts to defeat
the West in every level,

850
00:39:33,921 --> 00:39:36,995
militarily as well as in sport.

851
00:39:37,128 --> 00:39:40,869
So the urge to do that,
to outcompete

852
00:39:41,002 --> 00:39:42,873
everyone else
on the playing field

853
00:39:43,006 --> 00:39:45,044
has been with us for,
uh, forever.

854
00:39:46,747 --> 00:39:51,523
HOROWITZ:
Since the early 1980s, the
military has been interested

855
00:39:51,624 --> 00:39:55,097
in researching the creation
of super soldiers...

856
00:39:56,099 --> 00:39:58,705
...using exoskeletons

857
00:39:58,871 --> 00:40:02,445
or robotic assists to limbs,

858
00:40:02,612 --> 00:40:05,552
or using magnetic waves

859
00:40:05,652 --> 00:40:09,025
to help people
overcome the problems

860
00:40:09,125 --> 00:40:12,866
of fatigue associated
with sleep deprivation,

861
00:40:12,966 --> 00:40:16,173
or increasing strength,
increasing sight,

862
00:40:16,473 --> 00:40:19,813
increasing the ability
to see around corners,

863
00:40:19,947 --> 00:40:23,454
see in the dark, see behind you,

864
00:40:23,654 --> 00:40:25,626
to allow them to perform

865
00:40:25,725 --> 00:40:29,266
incredible feats that are
otherwise impossible.

866
00:40:29,532 --> 00:40:32,405
McMAHON:
Our desire always
to improve ourselves

867
00:40:32,505 --> 00:40:34,844
is at the source of
so much of what we do.

868
00:40:35,010 --> 00:40:36,781
At a very elementary level,

869
00:40:36,847 --> 00:40:40,856
human beings want
to distinguish themselves.

870
00:40:40,955 --> 00:40:43,929
We want to do what
others haven't done.

871
00:40:43,995 --> 00:40:47,234
We're always restless,
questing for something else,

872
00:40:47,234 --> 00:40:47,268
We're always restless,
questing for something else,
pursuing something else,

873
00:40:47,268 --> 00:40:49,640
pursuing something else,

874
00:40:49,773 --> 00:40:52,879
and it's somewhat of
a perverse need.

875
00:40:54,015 --> 00:40:56,353
SHATNER:
Will technology
push human performance

876
00:40:56,519 --> 00:40:58,424
beyond its natural limits?

877
00:40:58,558 --> 00:41:00,829
Many scientists believe
it's possible.

878
00:41:00,895 --> 00:41:03,467
But the truth is that
human beings already possess

879
00:41:03,634 --> 00:41:05,739
extraordinary capabilities

880
00:41:05,839 --> 00:41:09,212
that we are only beginning
to understand.

881
00:41:09,212 --> 00:41:10,380
LUKE:
I think,

882
00:41:10,582 --> 00:41:12,351
in some cases,

883
00:41:12,518 --> 00:41:14,389
people don't know that they have

884
00:41:14,556 --> 00:41:16,192
these talents and capacities...

885
00:41:17,228 --> 00:41:19,365
...until they're put
in the right situation

886
00:41:19,532 --> 00:41:21,403
where they have to call on them.

887
00:41:21,637 --> 00:41:25,813
And as we start understanding
more about the science of genes,

888
00:41:25,912 --> 00:41:30,454
we'll realize that
there may be talents

889
00:41:30,588 --> 00:41:33,728
and potentials
that we can unlock

890
00:41:33,861 --> 00:41:35,832
that we didn't
otherwise know about.

891
00:41:37,234 --> 00:41:39,707
Just when we think we know
the limits of our mental

892
00:41:39,873 --> 00:41:41,510
and physical capabilities,

893
00:41:41,677 --> 00:41:43,815
another extraordinary person

894
00:41:43,981 --> 00:41:45,586
comes along and performs

895
00:41:45,685 --> 00:41:47,790
a superhuman feat
that breaks the boundaries

896
00:41:47,989 --> 00:41:49,526
of what is possible.

897
00:41:49,693 --> 00:41:51,831
So, perhaps in the future,

898
00:41:51,897 --> 00:41:56,172
mankind will unlock even more
incredible abilities

899
00:41:56,172 --> 00:41:56,206
mankind will unlock even more
incredible abilities
that, for now, remain...

900
00:41:56,206 --> 00:41:58,611
that, for now, remain...

901
00:41:59,813 --> 00:42:00,949
...unexplained.

902
00:42:01,082 --> 00:42:02,719
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