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How incredible would it be to have a mind that could calculate the toughest of sums? Or to have the ability to remember the most minute of details? And wouldn't it be remarkable to have super language abilities? If I've learnt anything from these 10 inspiring individuals, it is that the mind and the body are truly extraordinary. |
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Super Human Memory, Daniel Temmet |
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Daniel Temmet's ability to memorize incredible amounts of information is exceptionally impressive. To test his remarkable memory, he was asked to recite the mathematical formula, Pi (what seems to be a never ending irrational number). In five hours and nine minutes, he was able to recite 22,514 digits from the formula, precisely, leaving mathematicians completely baffled! |
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Get a glimpse into the incredible mind of Daniel Temmet, in the clip below. |
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Super Language Abilities, Harold Williams |
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The average person is able to speak 1.69 languages. Harold Williams, however, was able to speak 59 different languages. Until the age of seven, Harold showed no signs of a super mind, but at that point, he describes having an 'explosion in his brain', after which he learned Latin (the root to many languages) and couldn't get enough of learning more. Harold spent his life traveling the world, region by region, learning all the languages he could. |
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Photographic memory, Stephen Wiltshire |
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Stephen Wilshire, a British Architectural Artist, has an extraordinary talent. He can look at a landscape once, then draw it with perfect accuracy. In fact, Stephen can draw an entire city from memory alone, after just a brief helicopter ride. |
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In this clip, Stephen produced a detailed drawing of New York City, after just a 20-minute helicopter ride. |
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Human Computer, Shakuntala Devi |
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Born in India, Shakuntala Devi had a natural ability to calculate numbers beyond normal human abilities. Where most of us would need a calculator to do the sums she could, Shakuntala was able to work out any calculation in her head and had been tested on numerous occasions. At the University of California, Berkley, she was asked to accurately calculate the cube root of 61,629,875, and the seventh root of 170,859,375 - and she passed with flying colors. |
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This clip illustrates her extraordinary abilities. |
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Eagle Vision, Veronica Seider |
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In 1972, at the University of Stuttgart (then West Germany) it was discovered that Veronica Seider, had a visual acuity 20 times better than the average person. Without the assistance of technology she can see the smallest object and could identify people at a distance of more than a mile away (1.6km). A typical person would need a set of binoculars to accomplish this. |
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Magnetic Man, Liew Thow Lin |
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This Malaysian man can stick metal objects onto his body - and he is able to hold and balance quite a variety of metal objects too! What makes Liew Thow's super human power all the more intriguing is that scientists cannot detect anything going on within the magnetics of his body. |
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This clip showcases his extraordinary abilities. |
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Ice Man, Wim Hof |
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In the past 35 years, Wim Hof has faced all kinds of challenges, and has held 20 Guinness World Records. He climbed Mount Kilamanjaro and Mount Everest in shorts, broke records by swimming under ice water, and ran half a marathon in the desert without drinking. But, how does he do it? Wim uses a breathing meditation technique that ensures he doesn't feel cold in the same way that an average person would. |
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This clip will leave you dumbfounded. |
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Super Human Reflexes, Isao Machii |
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Isao Machii, a Japanese Laido Master, has the quickest reflexes in the world, holding many world records for his quick sword skills. |
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In the clip below, Isao attempts to cut a speeding BB gun bullet in half - incredible! |
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Sonar Vision, Ben Underwood |
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After having lost his eyes to cancer, Ben Underwood was left completely blind. Yet, despite his lack of sight, he is able to navigate the world around him using Human Echolocation, or a series of 'clicking' noises, that allows him to process the sounds that come back into his ears. |
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Check out his extraordinary ability in the clip below. |
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Long Distance Runner, Dean Karnazes |
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Unlike most runners who have to stop once they reach their lactate threshold (exercising beyond this limit can become rather unpleasant), Dean Karnazes' muscles never tire. He can run for three days and nights without stopping. He's also completed some extremely tough endurance events too - including a marathon to the South Pole (in temperatures of -25°C/-13°F) as well as the legendary Marathon des Sables. Yet despite his long runs, he has never experienced any form of muscle burn or cramp - even during runs that exceed 100 miles. |
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Get to know more about Dean Karnazes' passion for running in the clip below. |
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