Olympics 2016: What Makes or Breaks Top Athletes
Will better training and coaching lead to new records, or do drugs and technology determine the score? Explore the science of the Games with these articles
Magic Blood and Carbon-Fiber Legs at the Brave New Olympics
With technology and pharmaceuticals dominating our reality, how do we define “natural” human effort in sports? The author of bestseller The Sports Gene weighs in ...
Have We Reached the Athletic Limits of the Human Body?
Record-breaking has slowed, but science could find new ways to make us keep getting stronger and faster
The Scientific American Guide to Cheating in the Olympics
It’s harder than ever to dope your way to glory—but some athletes will probably get away with it anyway
Blade Runners: Do High-Tech Prostheses Give Runners an Unfair Advantage?
Four years after Oscar Pistorius made history at the London Olympics, the question remains unanswered
Are We Reaching the End of World Records?
As we near the limits of human strength and speed, technology and culture keep moving the finish line
Running Circles around Us: East African Olympians’ Advantage May Be More Than Physical
In studying runners’ genes and climate adaptation, science often overlooks a key cultural clue
No One Wins Gold for Practicing the Most
A new study suggests there are limits to the “10,000-hour rule” and how far practice and hard work can take an athlete
Olympic Gold May Depend on the Brain's Reward Chemical
A new study reveals that dopamine may help propel athletes into elite mode
Could Olympians Be Tweaking Their Genes?
“Gene doping” remains unlikely, but if scientists can safely boost athletic performance by manipulating genes, that should be cause for celebration
How Elite Sprinters Run So Fast [Video]
Scientists study the stride of Olympic athlete Mike Rodgers
Coaching Can Make or Break an Olympic Athlete
Competitors at the most elite level require more than technical support
Compound Archery Shoots for Olympic Inclusion
As bow technology becomes less expensive and more widely tested in international competitions, the event’s popularity grows
How 4 Olympic Teams Have Prepared for Zika
From mosquito-repelling uniforms to specially treated condoms, these Olympians are taking extra measures to avoid infection
What's in the Water in Rio—and What Can It Do to Olympians?
During the Games, sailors will compete with sewage and industrial waste as well as one another, but the dry season offers some relief
Scholarly Olympics: How the Games Have Shaped Research
A graphical guide to the impact of the Olympics on science
Monitoring Disease Outbreaks at the Games
How London’s experience in 2012 is helping Rio prepare
