Steve Leonard.co.uk
  • Home
  • News
  • Who?
  • Television
  • Talks
  • Charities
    • PDSA
    • WVI
    • PDC
    • AFW
  • Photos
    • Birds of the World
  • Contact

Pushing the Envelope

4/2/2010

 
Picture
Cycling round Auckland today (see Podcast) I called in at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. I love museums, especially Natural History sections and this museum, despite its name has a great one. However there is one small room I had to visit (no, not the loo - ok, yes the loo but also this other one). It is a exhibit dedicated to Edmund Hillary. I am in awe of what he and Tensing achieved. Looking at the wooden handled, steel headed axe with its very simple design brought home how much more difficult their attempt was compared to modern climbing. We now have lightweight materials such as titanium and carbon fibre and synthetic breathable fabrics to insulate ourselves from the harsh environment around us. But also, we know it can be done because its been done. Pioneers such as Tensing and Hillary push human bodies to limits we never thought possible and thats why, even though we may question their sanity and motives, adventurers such as these, will always inspire us.

I am not such a person. I am cautious and want to know something is possible before attempting it. This is quite sensible as far as I am concerned in my line of work as a vet and wildlife presenter. I don’t start an operation or course of treatment without knowing the probable outcomes based on what we refer to as ‘Evidence Based Medicine’. Also I don’t pick up an animal without being shown how it’s done by an expert. This is both to ensure I don’t stress the animal more than necessary and also because some of them are deadly. Again in both these situations I am indebted to those people who have tweaked the boundaries of known science to find a better way of doing this. These people have usually not done this without knowing all the previous accepted norms and found them wanting. Brave, often unsung, heroes in my opinion, but at least Hillary has made it onto the back of a fiver here in his homeland.


Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    News feed...

    Bong! Today I did stuff...

    Archives

    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    September 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    June 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    October 2011
    August 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    November 2010
    October 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    September 2009
    August 2009
    January 2009
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    July 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007

    RSS Feed

www.steveleonard.co.uk


Home
News
Who?
Television
Contact
The views expressed on this website are my own and do not represent the opinions of any companies, channels, charities or the veterinary profession unless explicitly stated. 


Copyright Steve Leonard