Pushing the Envelope

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.