Measurements

Measurements (a lot of which we often call tests), also known as biomarkers (a contraction of biological markers,) can allow us to understand our state of being. These measurements, particularly when combined, can give us indications as to our body's state and health. For instance, a heart rate of zero would indicate a person is dead, although that might not always be the case.

Context and time frame are significant; a consistent heart rate of zero for four minutes or more is more conclusive that a single reading at a particular point in time. A resting heart rate below 60bpm could be bradycardia but without an understanding of an individual's fitness level it's impossible to say; for a professional athlete, or genetically 'gifted' individual it's likely not bradycardia, for an obese man with diabetes it probably is.