Faster, Higher, Stronger.

意為 “更快、更高、更強”。

And athletes have fulfilled that motto rapidly.

而運動員們迅雷不及掩耳地做到這一格言。

The winner of the 2012 Olympic marathon

2012年奧林匹克馬拉松的冠軍記錄是

ran two hours and eight minutes.

兩小時八分鐘。

Had he been racing against the winner

如果讓這位2012年的馬拉松冠軍

of the 1904 Olympic marathon,

在1904年的奧林匹克馬拉松中競賽，

he would have won by nearly an hour and a half.

他要比當年的冠軍快一個半小時。

Now we all have this feeling

此時此刻，我們都覺得

that we're somehow just getting better

某程度上我們作為人類

as a human race, inexorably progressing,

在日漸一日地、勢不可擋地進步，

but it's not like we've evolved into a new species

但這種進步，又並不像是在區區一世紀內

in a century.

就進化成另一個新物種的那種。

So what's going on here?

那麼到底是怎麼回事呢？

I want to take a look at what's really behind

我想看看運動進步歷程的背後

this march of athletic progress.

到底藏著什麼秘密。

In 1936, Jesse Owens

1936年，傑西·歐文斯

held the world record in the 100 meters.

在一百米田徑中創下了新的世界紀錄。

Had Jesse Owens been racing last year

如果傑西·歐文斯參加了

in the world championships of the 100 meters,

去年的世界一百米田徑賽，

when Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt finished,

牙買加短跑運動員尤賽恩·博爾特衝到終點時，

Owens would have still had 14 feet to go.

歐文斯離終點還有十四英尺。

That's a lot in sprinter land.

在短跑賽場上，十四英尺可不是小數目。

To give you a sense of how much it is,

為了讓大家感受一些其中的區別，

I want to share with you a demonstration

我想跟大家分享

conceived by sports scientist Ross Tucker.

運動科學家羅斯·德科構思的一個範例。

Now picture the stadium last year

現在，請大家想像自己身處

at the world championships of the 100 meters:

去年世界杯百米錦標賽的賽場：

thousands of fans waiting with baited breath

成千上萬位運動迷屏住呼吸，

to see Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history;

等候看見尤賽恩·博爾特這位歷史上最快的人；

flashbulbs popping as the nine fastest men in the world

閃光燈奮然驟現，只見世界上最快的九個人

coil themselves into their blocks.

現身於他們各自的起跑器旁。

And I want you to pretend

我要大家想像

that Jesse Owens is in that race.

傑西·歐文斯也在這九個人當中。

Now close your eyes for a second and picture the race.

現在，閉上眼睛，想像一下這場比賽。

Bang! The gun goes off.

梆！槍聲一響。

An American sprinter jumps out to the front.

一名美國短跑運動員一下就躍到前列。

Usain Bolt starts to catch him.

尤賽恩·博爾特開始追上這位運動員。

Usain Bolt passes him, and as the runners come to the finish,

尤賽恩·博爾特超越了他，每位運動員衝線終點時，

you'll hear a beep as each man crosses the line.

你都會聽到“嗶”一聲。

(Beeps)

（”嗶“）

That's the entire finish of the race.

然後整場比賽就結束了。

You can open your eyes now.

現在大家可以睜開雙眼。

That first beep was Usain Bolt.

第一聲“嗶”是，尤賽恩·博爾特。

That last beep was Jesse Owens.

最後一聲“嗶”，是傑西·歐文斯。

Listen to it again.

再聽一次。

(Beeps)

（“嗶”）

When you think of it like that,

這樣聽來，

it's not that big a difference, is it?

是不是覺得差別不大？

And then consider that Usain Bolt started

那麼想一下，尤賽恩·博爾特起步時

by propelling himself out of blocks

腳下有起跑器

down a specially fabricated carpet

將他推向特製的地面地毯，

designed to allow him to travel

這種地毯的設計允許他

as fast as humanly possible.

以人類所能達到的最快速度奔跑。

Jesse Owens, on the other hand,

而傑西·歐文斯呢，

ran on cinders, the ash from burnt wood,

則在煤渣路上跑，盡是木頭焚燒後剩下的灰渣，

and that soft surface stole far more energy

而那種柔軟的路面在他跑步的過程中，

from his legs as he ran.

吞噬了他腿上大量的精力。

Rather than blocks, Jesse Owens had a gardening trowel

傑西·歐文斯沒有起跑器，只有一把種花用的泥鏟，

that he had to use to dig holes in the cinders to start from.

他只能用這把泥鏟在起跑的煤渣路上挖坑。

Biomechanical analysis of the speed

對歐文斯運動關節速度的生理力學分析顯示

of Owens' joints shows that had been running

如果歐文斯的關節跑步接觸面

on the same surface as Bolt,

能夠跟博爾特的一樣，

he wouldn't have been 14 feet behind,

歐文斯就不會被拋在十四英尺外，

he would have been within one stride.

而是只差一步之遙就能趕上博爾特。

Rather than the last beep,

歐文斯不會是最後的一“嗶”，

Owens would have been the second beep.

而是第二“嗶”。

Listen to it again.

再聽一次。

(Beeps)

（“嗶”）

That's the difference track surface technology has made,

這就是田徑跑道接觸面技術進步所產生的差別，

and it's done it throughout the running world.

而這一技術在賽跑界比比皆是。

Consider a longer event.

想一個時間更長的運動時間。

In 1954, Sir Roger Bannister

1954年的羅傑·班尼斯特爵士

became the first man to run under four minutes in the mile.

是人類歷史上第一個在四分鐘內跑完一英里的人。

Nowadays, college kids do that every year.

現在，每年都有大學生達到這一紀錄。

On rare occasions, a high school kid does it.

偶爾，一個高中生也可以做到。

As of the end of last year,

截至去年年底

1,314 men

有一千三百一十四個人

had run under four minutes in the mile,

已經可以在四分鐘內跑完一英里，

but like Jesse Owens,

但是跟傑西·歐文斯一樣，

Sir Roger Bannister ran on soft cinders

羅傑·班尼斯特爵士跑的是軟煤渣路，

that stole far more energy from his legs

他腿部的力量都被這煤渣路吞耗了，

than the synthetic tracks of today.

不能與今日的塑膠跑道相比。

So I consulted biomechanics experts

我因此找了一些生理力學專家

to find out how much slower it is to run on cinders

諮詢在煤渣路上跑步

than synthetic tracks,

到底比在塑膠跑道慢多少，

and their consensus that it's one and a half percent slower.

他們一致認為，慢1.5%。

So if you apply a one and a half percent slowdown conversion

因此，如果你按1.5%的算法

to every man who ran his sub-four mile

來計算每位在塑膠跑道上

on a synthetic track,

在四分鐘內完成了一英里的速度，

this is what happens.

這就是呈現的結果。

Only 530 are left.

只剩下五百三十人。

If you look at it from that perspective,

如果你從這個角度來看的話，

fewer than ten new men per [year]

每年只有不到十個人

have joined the sub-four mile club

能夠跟隨羅傑·班尼斯特爵士

since Sir Roger Bannister.

加入這個“四分鐘內一英里“俱樂部。

Now, 530 is a lot more than one,

現在，五百三十人遠比一個人多，

and that's partly because there are many more people

其中的部分原因是，

training today and they're training more intelligently.

現在越來越多人接受訓練，而且訓練相當有技巧。

Even college kids are professional in their training

跟羅傑·班尼斯特爵士相比，

compared to Sir Roger Bannister,

大學生的訓練也要比他的專業，

who trained for 45 minutes at a time

班尼斯特爵士當年在醫學院上完婦科課之後才去訓練，

while he ditched gynecology lectures in med school.

而且每次只是訓練四十五分鐘。

And that guy who won the 1904 Olympic marathon

贏得1904年奧林匹克馬拉松賽的那位仁兄

in three in a half hours,

在半小時內跑完三英里，

that guy was drinking rat poison and brandy

那位仁兄是一邊喝著老鼠藥和白蘭地，

while he ran along the course.

一邊跑完整程馬拉松。

That was his idea of a performance-enhancing drug.

那些就是他所謂的增強表現藥。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Clearly, athletes have gotten more savvy

相比以前，現在的運動員對增強表現的藥物

about performance-enhancing drugs as well,

顯然已經更加精通，

and that's made a difference in some sports at some times,

而這有時也會使某些運動顯示出差距變化，

but technology has made a difference in all sports,

但是科技在所有運動領域中創造差距變化，

from faster skis to lighter shoes.

例如速度更快的雪橇、更加輕便的鞋子。

Take a look at the record for the 100-meter freestyle swim.

我們看看百米自由泳的記錄。

The record is always trending downward,

這個記錄一直往下降，

but it's punctuated by these steep cliffs.

但卻不時出現這些突然峭降。

This first cliff, in 1956, is the introduction

第一次的峭降是在1956年

of the flip turn.

第一次引入翻騰轉體技巧。

Rather than stopping and turning around,

運動員不再需要停止再轉身，

athletes could somersault under the water

而是可以在水上一百八十度轉體，

and get going right away in the opposite direction.

往反方向繼續前游。

This second cliff, the introduction of gutters

第二次的峭降，當時引入了水槽設計，

on the side of the pool

在游泳池四周的水槽

that allows water to splash off,

允許水濺出，

rather than becoming turbulence

而不是形成漩渦，

that impedes the swimmers as they race.

給運動員在比賽中造成阻礙。

This final cliff,

最後一次峭降，

the introduction of full-body

當時引入了

and low-friction swimsuits.

低摩擦力的全身泳衣。

Throughout sports, technology has changed the face of performance.

在運動歷程中，科技已經為運動性能改頭換面。

In 1972, Eddy Merckx set the record

1972年，艾迪·莫克斯

for the longest distance cycled in one hour

創下了一小時內最長的單車行程記錄

at 30 miles, 3,774 feet.

三十英里三千七百七十四英尺。

Now that record improved and improved

這個記錄在不斷地更新再更新，

as bicycles improved and became more aerodynamic

自行車不斷地在更新，更加符合空氣動力學，

all the way until 1996,

一直到了1996年，

when it was set at 35 miles, 1,531 feet,

當時的記錄是三十五英里一千五百三十一英尺，

nearly five miles farther

跟1972年的艾迪·莫克斯相比，

than Eddy Merckx cycled in 1972.

幾乎超出五英里。

But then in 2000, the International Cycling Union

但是在2000年，國際自行車聯盟決定

decreed that anyone who wanted to hold that record

任何想要打破這個記錄的人

had to do so with essentially the same equipment

所使用的設備必須與1972年

that Eddy Merckx used in 1972.

艾迪·莫克斯所使用的基本一致。

Where does the record stand today?

今日這個記錄又是多少？

30 miles, 4,657 feet,

三十英里四千六百五十七英尺，

a grand total of 883 feet

比起四十年之前

farther than Eddy Merckx cycled

艾迪·莫克斯所騎的行程

more than four decades ago.

不過多出整整八百八十三英尺。

Essentially the entire improvement in this record

這一記錄的突破，

was due to technology.

基本源於科技。

Still, technology isn't the only thing pushing athletes forward.

但是，科技並不是推使運動員前進的唯一因素。

While indeed we haven't evolved

的確，我們尚未在一個世紀內

into a new species in a century,

完全進化成另外一個新物種，

the gene pool within competitive sports

但是競賽運動的基因庫

most certainly has changed.

很肯定已經發生了變化。

In the early half of the 20th century,

在二十世紀上半葉，

physical education instructors and coaches

體育教育的指導員和教練都認為

had the idea that the average body type

平均的身體類型

was the best for all athletic endeavors:

是所有運動的最適宜的體型：

medium height, medium weight, no matter the sport.

中等身高、中等體重，無論是對何種運動而言。

And this showed in athletes' bodies.

這在運動員的體態上可以體現。

In the 1920s, the average elite high-jumper

20世紀20年代，平均優秀跳高運動員

and average elite shot-putter were the same exact size.

跟平均優秀鉛球選手有完全一樣的體型。

But as that idea started to fade away,

但是這樣的想法開始消失，

as sports scientists and coaches realized that

因為運動科學家和教練發現

rather than the average body type,

平均身體體型並非是最好的，

you want highly specialized bodies

你需要的是

that fit into certain athletic niches,

專門適合某種運動類型的體型，

a form of artificial selection took place,

並且開始了某種人為的篩選，

a self-sorting for bodies that fit certain sports,

自我篩選出適合某種運動的體型，

and athletes' bodies became more different from one another.

而不同運動員的體型差距越來越大。

Today, rather than the same size as the average elite high jumper,

時至今日，平均優秀跳高運動員的體型

the average elite shot-putter

跟平均優秀鉛球選手的體型不再一樣，

is two and a half inches taller

後者比前者要高2.5英寸，

and 130 pounds heavier.

並且重130磅。

And this happened throughout the sports world.

而這樣的事情在運動界比比皆是。

In fact, if you plot on a height versus mass graph

事實上，如果你要畫一張身高體重對照表，

one data point for each of two dozen sports

為二十世紀上半葉的二十四種運動

in the first half of the 20th century, it looks like this.

畫出各自的數據點，則會得到這樣的一張圖。

There's some dispersal,

稍微呈現離散，

but it's kind of grouped around that average body type.

但還是圍繞著平均體型而出現。

Then that idea started to go away,

然後這樣的想法開始消失，

and at the same time, digital technology --

與此同時，數位科技——

first radio, then television and the Internet --

首先是無線電台，然後是電視、網路——

gave millions, or in some cases billions, of people

向數百萬人或者數十億人

a ticket to consume elite sports performance.

提供了消費精英運動表演的門票。

The financial incentives and fame and glory afforded elite athletes skyrocketed,

得到金錢獎勵以及名望榮譽的運動員直線上升，

and it tipped toward the tiny upper echelon of performance.

並且漸漸擠向性能表現的頂端。

It accelerated the artificial selection for specialized bodies.

這種情況加速了專門合適體型的人為挑選。

And if you plot a data point for these same

如果你要為今日同樣的二十四類運動

two dozen sports today, it looks like this.

畫一張數據點表的話，看上去會是這樣（藍色部分）。

The athletes' bodies have gotten

運動員的體型

much more different from one another.

已經大大地拉開差距。

And because this chart looks like the charts

正因為這張圖看上去

that show the expanding universe,

與顯示宇宙擴展的圖相似，

with the galaxies flying away from one another,

就像不同的星系飛離另外其他星系一樣，

the scientists who discovered it call it

發現這張圖的科學家把這張圖命名為

"The Big Bang of Body Types."

“體型大爆炸”。

In sports where height is prized, like basketball,

在重視身高的運動中，例如籃球，

the tall athletes got taller.

高的運動員會越來越高。

In 1983, the National Basketball Association

1983年國家籃球協會（NBA）

signed a groundbreaking agreement

簽訂了一份具有歷史性意義的協議，

making players partners in the league,

允許選手加入聯盟，

entitled to shares of ticket revenues

能夠分享門票收益

and television contracts.

和電視合約收益。

Suddenly, anybody who could be an NBA player

霎時間，任何可能成為NBA選手的人

wanted to be,

都想成為NBA選手，

and teams started scouring the globe

而籃球隊也開始在全球搜索，

for the bodies that could help them win championships.

尋找可以幫助他們贏得冠軍的體型。

Almost overnight,

一夜間，

the proportion of men in the NBA

NBA中

who are at least seven feet tall doubled

至少有七尺高的人數比例

to 10 percent.

翻倍到10%。

Today, one in 10 men in the NBA

今日，NBA中，十個人

is at least seven feet tall,

就有一個至少有七尺高，

but a seven-foot-tall man is incredibly rare

但是在大眾人口當中，

in the general population --

七尺高的男人是相當少見的——

so rare that if you know an American man

少見的程度是，如果你認識一個美國男人

between the ages of 20 and 40

他剛好在二十歲到四十歲之間，

who is at least seven feet tall,

又剛好至少有七尺高，

there's a 17 percent chance

那麼就有17%的可能性

he's in the NBA right now.

他現在就是NBA的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

That is, find six honest seven footers,

也就是說，隨意找七位老實的七尺高人

one is in the NBA right now.

就有一個在NBA工作。

And that's not the only way that NBA players' bodies are unique.

NBA選手體型的獨特之處不僅如此。

This is Leonardo da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man,"

這是列奧納多·達·芬奇的“維特魯威人”，

the ideal proportions,

擁有最理想的體態比例，

with arm span equal to height.

臂長與身高相等。

My arm span is exactly equal to my height.

我的臂長與身高剛剛相等。

Yours is probably very nearly so.

大家的也大概一樣。

But not the average NBA player.

但是一般的NBA選手卻不是這樣。

The average NBA player is a shade under 6'7",

平均的NBA選手身高約六尺七寸，

with arms that are seven feet long.

但手臂有七尺長。

Not only are NBA players ridiculously tall,

NBA選手不僅高得離譜，

they are ludicrously long.

而且還長得荒唐。

Had Leonardo wanted to draw

如果當初里奧納多想要畫的

the Vitruvian NBA Player,

是維特魯威NBA選手，

he would have needed a rectangle and an ellipse,

他估計要用長方形和橢圓，

not a circle and a square.

而不是圓形和正方形。

So in sports where large size is prized,

因此那些重視體型的運動裡面，

the large athletes have gotten larger.

體型大的運動員已經越變越大了。

Conversely, in sports where diminutive stature is an advantage,

相對而言，在小巧體型佔優勢的運動裡面，

the small athletes got smaller.

小巧的運動員就越變越小。

The average elite female gymnast

平均優秀女體操運動員

shrunk from 5'3" to 4'9" on average

在過去三十年內

over the last 30 years,

就從五尺三寸縮水到四尺九寸，

all the better for their power-to-weight ratio

更加符合他們的力量—體重比例，

and for spinning in the air.

也更加適合在空中旋轉。

And while the large got larger

因此體型大的運動員越來越大，

and the small got smaller,