OUR BODY: THE PERFECT MACHINE
When you reflect on the remarkable abilities of various animals, do you sometimes feel a twinge of envy? Perhaps you wish that you could soar like an albatross, swim like a dolphin, see like an eagle, or run like a cheetah. Yes, animals have some amazing abilities. But so do we! Indeed, the human body has been described as the perfect machine. Of course, we are much more than a machine. We have creativity, curiosity, imagination, and ingenuity –qualities that move us to devise machines that enable us to do virtually anything we set our minds to. We can fly, even beyond the speed of sound; navigate above or below the surface of vast oceans; gaze some 14 billion light-years into space; peer into the living cell; and design medicines, therapies, and technologies that help us diagnose and treat diseases. Even with little or no external assistance, healthy, well-trained humans are ca