How much strength is possible with genetic engineering?

[Norrin Radd]

In Star Trek we commonly see how augments have "super strength"

But let's assume that one such augment (say equivalent to Khan) engages in limited strength training throughout his/her life.

Would he/she still be much stronger than the average non-augment who engages in high levels of strength training?

 

[kitsune]

In Star Trek we commonly see how augments have "super strength"

But let's assume that one such augment (say equivalent to Khan) engages in limited strength training throughout his/her life.

Would he/she still be much stronger than the average non-augment who engages in high levels of strength training?

I don't know, but consider this boy who has a genetic mutation that blocks myostatin production:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5278028/

 

[Christopher]

^Well, there's more to boosting strength than just adding muscle bulk. The bulkiest bodybuilders aren't necessarily the strongest. And increasing human strength to superhuman level would require augmenting the skeleton, tendons, ligaments, and organs to withstand the strain.

If we're limiting it to genetic modification alone, I think strength could be boosted a few times over. Prehistoric humans were probably tougher and stronger on average than modern ones, since we've somewhat domesticated ourselves with our civilized living. And an adult male chimpanzee is something like three times as strong (at least in the upper body) as an adult male human (on average, again).

But there would be practical limits to how much muscle, bone, and other tissue could be augmented. Metabolism would also be a factor; the more strength you want, the more energy it would take, and the hotter the body would have to run to deliver that energy. Beyond a certain point, your tissues would demand too much energy and your metabolism would have to be unendurably hot.

If we allow bionics into the mix, though, strength could probably be boosted considerably more. Carbon nanotube fibers can function as synthetic "muscles" for robots, and can potentially contract with 100 times the force of a human muscle fiber. Imagine a skeleton and musculature augmented with nanotubes and similar reinforcements. It might not give 100 times human strength, but maybe a couple of dozen times.

A simpler option would be the kind of robotic exoskeleton that's already becoming a reality. A "power armor" suit could boost any unaugmented human's strength many times over.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Christopher,

^Well, there's more to boosting strength than just adding muscle bulk. The bulkiest bodybuilders aren't necessarily the strongest.

That's correct

I'm not a bulky person (I'm a woman though). I however am a great deal stronger than most people male or female for my weight.


CuttingEdge100

 

[All Seeing Eye]

In Star Trek we commonly see how augments have "super strength"

But let's assume that one such augment (say equivalent to Khan) engages in limited strength training throughout his/her life.

Would he/she still be much stronger than the average non-augment who engages in high levels of strength training?

I don't know, but consider this boy who has a genetic mutation that blocks myostatin production:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5278028/

At least now we know Hercules/Heracles had a mutation and wasn't a demi God.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

In Star Trek we commonly see how augments have "super strength"

But let's assume that one such augment (say equivalent to Khan) engages in limited strength training throughout his/her life.

Would he/she still be much stronger than the average non-augment who engages in high levels of strength training?

I do not know the answer for certain, but we do have things to compare it to. I used to own a pitbull. They were bread in part for bulk muscle streagth. I went for about a year were I was very busy and the dog lived with me in my apartment. He got very little exercise, but was still ripped. His muscles were simply that way naturally and stayed that way with little work. He also did not gain much weight in the form of fat. I fed him very well, but all the food went to muscle bulk rather than fat. I do not know if that still would have been the case had I gotten him fixed, but that is beside the point.

If you compare a pitbull to an average dog of its same size, they are capable of pulling up to 10 times or more the weight over short distances. I am not a fan of the "sport" but pitbulls are commonly used for weight pulling contests.

I am not trying to side track to a discussion about whether pitbulls are good dogs or not, just trying to show what can be done simply through selctive breeding with regard to stregnth.

I imagine with some form of targeted genetics, we could easily make a person five times stronger than average, given the same level of exercise or lack there of as compared to the group who is unaltered.

 

[miraclefan]

Don't know! but I do know they'd never be capable of moving an entire PLANET like sTuperman!