In the last decade we have seen the success of dozens of super hero movies at the box office and the fascination with bigger than life comic book characters continues with the recent release of Dawn of Justice, Black Panther & Avengers: Infinity War.

It is clear that in today’s times with looming threats from rogue nations, the uncertainty of making a living and surviving, humans are looking into science fiction to find and become heroes.

Here we take an introductory look into current technologies and advances in science that could possibly see a regular human develop strength, agility, increased healing and cell regeneration.

Battling bad guys. High-tech hideouts. The gratitude of the masses. Who at some point in their life hasn’t dreamed of being a superhero? Impossible, right? Or is it?

Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero – Possessing no supernatural powers, Batman is the most realistic of all the superheroes. His feats are achieved through rigorous training and mental discipline, and with the aid of fantastic gadgets. Drawing on his training as a neuroscientist, kinesiologist, and martial artist, E. Paul Zehr explores the question: Could a mortal ever become Batman?

Zehr, a Canadian neuroscientist and martial arts black belt, looks at the science of the body’s capability to respond and adapt to… extremes. The author draws on Batman comics and movies to glean clues on how Wayne chiseled his body into a fighting machine. As a study of human physiology, this detailed and accessible discussion could appeal to Batman fans and those interested in intensive physical training who are prepared for serious science rather than fantasy. But Batman is only the scaffolding on which Zehr hangs his detailed look at the role of genetic makeup, diet, strength training and development of motor skills in attaining the outer limits of physical performance.

IN order for someone to train at this level, a certain degree of genetic potential should already be present.  A great bone structure, lack of genetic predisposition to ailments, higher mass density and height that comes from both parents potentially being some kind of athletes and being tall.

These are all precursors, but we must keep in mind that that such a person would need a few things to go really right in order to really achieve super human abliities:

1. Training from an early age with a team focused on training, nutrition, recovery and various skills from weight training, martial arts and certain sports that can increase reaction time (since Batman fights bad guys after all)
   1. CRISPR Gene therapy could be used to increase muscle strength, endurance, metabolism, intelligence, fearlessness and performance
   2. myostatin and activin A work to suppress excessive muscle growth in humans. If they could be turned off with the help of genetic editing, something close to super-strength might be possible.
2. A high degree of motivation and personal sacrifice in order to endure that kind of training & go out and fight bad guys.
3. Cumulative rest, sleep and healing from injuries
   1. Salamander genes are being investigated for activating regeneration in humans
   2. Biolux Research’s Osseo Pulse Bone Regeneration System uses lasers to deeply penetrate cells and influence the mitochondria, increasing blood flow and the cell’s energy supply. The process has been shown to speed up healing by 50 percent, and it’s currently being used by dentist

While the idea of becoming Batman, an actual crime fighting hero by night and extravagant billionaire by day, is far fetched, the realm of possiblity in thinking this way opens up ideas on increasing human potential.

Slowly but surely science is catching up and may indeed sooner than later start working on a superhuman specimen.