Olympic

Winter Olympic Sites Are Melting Away because of Climate Crisis

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The number of places on Earth with the right combination of natural climate and geography for the Olympic Winter Games is already inherently limited. But as global temperatures rise from the burning of fossil fuels, the list is narrowing further. Factoring in the specific conditions that world-class skiers and snowboarders need to safely land tricks … Read more

How Olympic Figure Skaters Break Records with Physics

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Today’s figure skaters are performing feats of athletic prowess that were unimaginable only a few decades ago. At the Winter Olympics in Beijing last week, U.S. skater Nathan Chen took home the gold with short program and free skate performances packed with quadruple jumps and triple Axels. And 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva became the … Read more

The High-Speed Physics of Olympic Sledding, Explained

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The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Speed alone may be the factor that draws many sports fans to the bobsled, luge and skeleton events at this year’s Beijing Winter Olympics. But beneath the thrilling descents of the winding, ice-covered track, a myriad of concepts … Read more