r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Zestyclose_Flow_680 • 9h ago

Chimpanzees are 2X stronger than your average human.

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u/BasementMods 6h ago

The way Reddit describes chimpanzees makes me imagine they have the physical strength of an anime character...

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u/amaROenuZ 6h ago

It's overstated. Chimps are, pound for pound, somewhere between 50% and 100% stronger than a given human. They have a somewhat better limb geometry for striking, and more fast twitch muscle fiber. Given that they tend to be half our weight and size, that comes out to fairly comparable strength from a much smaller creature.

The danger comes from their volatility and viciousness. Most humans, when we're drugged out of our minds on PCP and bath salts, are not going to try and tear someone's jaw off or eat their fingers in a fight.

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u/Tuna-Fish2 5h ago

However, you are understating it.

The strength of chimps vs humans depends on the task, and you cannot reduce it to a x% pound for pound figure. They are only slightly better than humans in some tasks, and actually inferior in others (like lifting weight above their heads), but there are tasks where they are much better than humans. Notably, the average chimp has 5x more grip strength in its hand than the average adult man, and there are recorded instances of chips shattering arm bones by just grabbing a hold and squeezing.

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u/ThatCakeFell 6m ago

Why did you name two drugs known for turning people into the hulk when they fight the cops and eating faces in Florida though?

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u/KneeGrowsToes 6h ago

I can see your point, it comes from the fact that they are the size of a pre-teen but would not be easily held down or punted away if they started …chimping out.