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Sporting events have generated a significant amount of data since the introduction of the modern Olympics Games in 1896. This data, gathered over more than one hundred years, now allows for an accurate measurement of human physiological capabilities, such as running speed and jumping and throwing distances. Technological innovations, medicine, geopolitics, and climate all impact upon athletic performance. Among those, chronological age has been shown to significantly affect the development of physical and intellectual performance. This results in an asymmetrical inverted U curve, with limited performance at extreme age bands, and peak performance occurring between around twenty and thirty years. Other species such as mice and greyhounds also exhibit the same pattern in the age-performance relationship. Other studies have demonstrated the beneficial aspect of physical activity at different ages in life, and the benefits they provide in terms of life expectancy. However, further investigations are needed to better understand how this inverted U curve is influenced by societal parameters, such as energy consumption, the economy, and the environment.