Are humans simply sophisticated machines for converting energy?
In this Royal Institution lecture, chemist Saiful Islam explores the mechanics of the human body as a living energy system. Discover how we use energy, the explosive potential of common foods, and whether human performance can ever be truly supercharged.
Part of the 2016 'Supercharged: Fuelling the future' series, this lecture investigates the fundamental question of how humans generate and utilize energy. Islam examines the body as a finely tuned energy conversion machine, shaped by millions of years of evolution.
The presentation features live experiments ranging from the explosive properties of everyday foods to the measurement of human output against modern machinery. To illustrate the internal processes of energy use, Islam even shares images captured from inside his own stomach.
Source: The human body as an energy system - 2016 CHRISTMAS LECTURES with Saiful Islam 2/3
