Bungee jumping is one of the most extreme sports today. It has been around for many years and has been done for recreation as well as religious and traditional purposes. There are many different parts to bungee jumping then many people know. Bungee jumping can be fun but dangerous if the jumper is not careful.

Bungee jumping originated in the Pentecost Islands in the New Hebrides where men of a native tribe proved their manhood and to ensure a good yam harvest by jumping off a bamboo tower, which was 25 meters high, with a vine tied to their feet. The more modern bungee jumping originated in New Zealand in the late 80s, when jumpers used a rubber rope. This began in April 1979 when four people bungee jumped off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England, but bungee jumping became famous by A.J. Hackett, who jumped from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. His jump was on TV channels all over the world. As a result, became popular France, and eventually spread to other European countries, and is now a worldwide sport. It is also said that it originated from New Guinea. Men leaped from very tall wooden towers attached to the tower by vines tied to their ankles, it was originally used as a test of courage but has since been converted into a recreational activity and is seen to be a once in a lifetime thrilling experience. The sport is simple yet exciting; jumping from a tall platform i.e. a bridge or a crane whilst attached to a length of elastic chord.

A lot of calculations must be done before a bungee jump to ensure the safety of the jumper. The chord must be exactly the right length to give the best (yet safest) possible experience. If the chord is too short the jumper may not feel the optimum thrill however if the chord is too long it would probably result in the jumper being killed as they would hit the floor (go splat). I am going to do an experiment in order to find the exact height a fixed weight figure would need to jump from - with a certain length chord - in order to stop them just before they hit the ground.

In the sport of bungee jumping, there is a set of 5 individual cords that are grouped together in a set of 3, 4 or 5. This allows a person from 100 to 250 pounds to jump safely. There are different types of cords but the most common are the "Euro Cord" which were created and used in Europe and the "Mil Spec Cord" which were made by the US military, and were originally designed to hold down tanks on boats and in planes. This makes the "Mil Spec Cord" safer and more durable. Harnesses are also used during the jump. The Leg Harness and The Body Harness are the most commonly used in the jump. During the jump, the Leg Harness is used and in most clubs or professionally supervised jumps, the Body Harness is also used as a secondary safety harness. There are also custom made harnesses for unprofessional jumps. Though these are not as safe, they are usually effective.