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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.

About the Speaker

Dr. Jonathan Finn is Professor of Communication Studies at Wilfrid Laurier. He is the author of Beyond the Finish Line: Images, Evidence, and the History of the Photo-Finish (McGill-Queen’s, 2020) and Capturing the Criminal Image: From Mugshot to Surveillance Society (Minnesota, 2009) and editor of Visual Communication and Culture: Images in Action (Oxford 2012). His current research project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and is an examination of self-tracking in health and fitness with a focus on endurance sport.

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.

Accessibility
If you require an accessibility accommodation for this program or event, please tell us how we can meet your needs as soon as possible so arrangements can be organized. If you require a sign language interpreter, please let us know at least two-weeks (10 working weekdays) before the program date. 
  
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COST: Free

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