Sport, Sweat and Science
Posted on March 30th, 2009 in Irish Science
Ever wonder whether sports stars were born with a natural ability that made them stand out from their peers or whether anyone could be conditioned to become a world class athlete. On Thursday and Friday this week (April 2-3) the Science Gallery in Trinity College Dublin will become a Human Performance Lab where members of the public can come in to test their own athletic ability against the results of GAA stars Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Bryan Cullen. Scientists will measure the stars’ endurance, strength and skill using the latest scientific processes. Members of the public are also invited to come down and see how they rank compared to the GAA stars. Make sure to bring your runners and a tracksuit as you’re sure to build up a sweat.
In addition to the Human Performance Lab, there are a couple of lectures which may be of interest also. Mauro Ferreira, lecturer in the Physics Department at Trinity College Dublin, will discuss the physics of sport on Thursday at 3pm (no booking required and it’s a free event) and Nicholas Mahony, Lecturer & MSc Sports Medicine Co-ordinator, will give an overview at 7pm of the components of fitness and outline the key factors that need to be considered by athletes and coaches to help maximise performance.
Don’t forget that Metropolis is still running in the Science Gallery. Here’s a trailer f what to expect if you get a chance to drop in.
