• Question: Who r u supporting in the world cup? Is there any scientific evidence that they will win?

    Asked by cellman to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 16 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by joejericho.
    • Photo: Andrew Maynard

      Andrew Maynard answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      Hi cellman,

      I thought I should support England… until I watched the match on Saturday!

      I’m not sure how much science can be used to predict the winners – it’s more a case of assessing the ability and the skills of each team, with some luck thrown in!

      Who are you supporting?

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      Should probs say England (althogh I’m from Scotland I don’t subscribe to Anyone But England). I don’t think science can predict World Cup winners yet (otherwise the gambling industry would collapse). It certainly is increasingly employed by sports teams to improve their chances of winning. Can you think of many examples where science/technology has enhanced an athlete/sportsperson’s performance or training?

      I think the new generation of swimsuits is a good starting place. You won’t find a single sport that hasn’t come to rely on some scientific input.

    • Photo: Marianne Baker

      Marianne Baker answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      I actually don’t care about football (one of the few typical girly things about me I suppose) – I tried, because a lot of my friends do, but I really don’t.

      Lots of people at work are watching it and making a lot of noise in the coffee room! Spain just lost, I believe.

Comments

  • andrewleitch commented on :

    Imagine losing to the Swiss… Tee-hee! I’m rooting for South Africa against Uruguay tonight…

  • Photo: drfuzzyface

    drfuzzyface commented on :

    Andrew L i think a good place to start with technology and science helping sports and athletics is steroids as the best place to start its the most common boost but not the best to use but it is artificial.
    (STEROIDS :D)

    • andrewleitch commented on :

      drfuzzyface. Thanks for the input. Although yours is a perceptive comment I’d have said this was the worst place to start because it has been officially banned in most sports events. Guess you could include EPO (erythropoietin- a blood synthesis hormone) in cycling if you were going down the performance-enhancing but illegal route. Steroids are incredibly dangerous to dabble with and can have terrible consequences for your overall health (physical and mental) and your sex-life…Best to avoid! Can you think of any legal ways that science has been employed to improve performance or do you think that we should be allowed to choose whether we risk our health for short-term glory and embrace ‘roids by haveing a steroid games where anything goes?