Back on July 4th, champion gurgitator Joey Chestnut scarfed down a world-record 75 dogs in 10 minutes to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Could he have eaten more though? Science says yes!

In a scholarly research article entitled “Modelling the maximal active consumption rate and its plasticity in humans—perspectives from hot dog eating competitions”, physiologist James Smoliga asserts that a human being could consume a maximum out at 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Only time will tell if future competitors can approach, or even surpass, this theoretical maximum.