Name: Connections 50+ Presents Cambridge Third Age Learning: There is no Such Thing as a Dead Heat
Start: 2026-01-23T10:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-23T12:00:00-05:00
Location: Cambridge Public Library, Old Post Office

Connections 50+ Presents Cambridge Third Age Learning: There is no Such Thing as a Dead Heat

Explore why we are no closer to eradicating the dead heat then we were in the 1880's.
During the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, advanced visual and timing technology will be used to separate athletes by as little as a ten-thousandth of a second. Despite this, we will no doubt observe many ties and ‘dead heats’ during the Games. How can this be? How can athletes tie if we have equipment that can sub-divide the second into such small increments?
This lecture addresses these questions by looking at the history of the photo-finish in sport. Beginning in the 1880's, photographers began to promote the use of the camera to determine placing in sport, predicting there would never again be a tie or dead heat. Such proclamations were based in the belief that the mechanically-produced image could solve the inadequacies of human vision and produce irrefutable visual evidence. Despite a century and a half of technological advancements, we are no closer in 2026 to eradicating the dead heat than we were in the 1880's. This lecture will explain why this is the case by addressing the photo-finish as a technological, human, and commercial problem.
Use the Ticket link for free registration (library card not required). Registration is required to confirm attendance.
About Cambridge Third Age Learning
Third Age Learning is a movement that encourages learning and discovery experiences for those in the 'third age'. Together, the Cambridge Third Age Learning (CTAL) group and Cambridge Public Library present monthly lectures at the Old Post Office, a part of the library’s Connections 50+ suite. CTAL sources and selects lecturers with engaging topics to inspire new thinking and engage inquisitive minds.