Winning in the Olympics

Marlen Esparza, the flyweight pugilist, has spent all her life waiting for the chance to compete on the Olympic stage

Usain Bolt might be the world's fastest human but animals big and small would handily beat him

The most common chronic condition among all Olympic athletes is asthma. But many don't start suffering symptoms until their later years, suggesting that endurance training could be a trigger. Katherine Harmon reports

"Performance profiling" could help catch athletes who use banned performance-enhancing drugs

Mental trainers reach further to create the ideal environment for victory

Athletes are injured frequently—badminton players more so than ski jumpers

Can specific genes cause muscles to grow faster or stronger, and can genetic tampering give athletes an unnatural edge?

Arguments over whether high-tech attire gives swimmers an unfair advantage have been waged for 80 years

Unusual variations in an athlete's blood could determine guilt, even if no illegal substances are found

After officials banned the swimsuit that caused records to fall at the 2008 Olympic Games, scientists are back with a new outfit that could break more records

A major botched call by referees during the World Cup has opened the door for computerized replacements

In the modern Games’ early days, painters, sculptors, writers and musicians battled for gold, silver and bronze

Broken arms, ruptured Achilles tendons and concussions are all part of the Games

Kicked out of Harvard, these pioneering athletes were ahead of their time

An extraordinary insula helps elite athletes better anticipate their body's upcoming feelings, improving their physical reactions

Scientists debate whether prosthetic legs give Pistorius an unfair advantage in the 400-meter race

Rumors abound about the famous clock tower's imminent demise, blaming the 1999 construction of an underground train station. But those in the know say it ain't so