Olympics

Recent studies indicate that the brain's insular cortex may help a sprinter drive his body forward just a little more efficiently than his competitors.

A Single Brain Structure May Give Winners That Extra Physical Edge

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

Jean Jacoby's Corner, left, and Rugby. At the 1928 Olympic Art Competitions in Amsterdam, Jacoby won a gold medal for Rugby.

When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Art

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

As the Olympic Games head to London, you should head to the Mall.

Olympic Games at the Smithsonian

Before you settle into your couch to watch the Olympics, get down to the Smithsonian for exhibits, games and more

The 400 meter race on 1984 Olympic track

The Science Behind London Olympics’ “Springy” Track

When the athletes hit the track at this summer's Olympic games, they'll be stepping onto a surface as finely tuned as they are

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Does Double-Amputee Oscar Pistorius Have an Unfair Advantage at the 2012 Olympic Games?

Science shows that Pistorius uses less energy than his competitors, raising questions about whether or not he should allowed to compete in London

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The History of the Olympic Pictograms: How Designers Hurdled the Language Barrier

Infographic design first appeared at the Olympics in 1948, when the games were last in London

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The Swimsuit Series, Part 4: A Competitive Swimmer’s Musings

In Leanne Shapton's Swimming Studies "Bathing" chapter, there's a story behind every suit

Greg Louganis competes in a diving event held in August 1984 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Greg Louganis' Guide to Watching Diving

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on his sport’s rules, maneuvers and slang

Sada Jacobson Baby (right) of the United States battles with Leonore Perrus of France in the bronze medal match in the Women's Team Sabre event at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Sada Jacobson Bâby's Guide to Watching Fencing

The silver medalist explains the equipment, rules and maneuvers of her sport

Tara Nott Cunningham attempts a snatch during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Tara Nott Cunningham's Guide to Watching Weightlifting

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on her sport's rules, maneuvers and slang

Butch Johnson draws his bow during the Olympic Men's Archery competition in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.

Butch Johnson's Guide to Watching Archery

The gold medalist offers a cheat sheet on his sport's rules, maneuvers and slang

J. Allyn Rosser is an American poet and currently teaches at Ohio University.

Summer Olympics Look, a Poem

Poet J. Allyn Rosser's new piece on watching the Olympic Games

Olympic organizers plan to conduct 5,000 drug tests—an unprecedented number—during the London Games.

The Top Athletes Looking for an Edge and the Scientists Trying to Stop Them

Behind the scenes there will be a high-tech, high-stakes competition between Olympic athletes who use banned substances and drug testers out to catch them

There are few soccer players better suited to play goalie than the perfectly named Hope Solo. A self-described loner, she is the best player on the U.S. women's soccer team, and its most outspoken.

Hope Solo Drops Her Guard

As her controversial new memoir will show, the leader of the U.S. women’s soccer team has always defended her turf

The Games may not exist at all were it not for the perseverance of the Brits.

The Little-Known History of How the Modern Olympics Got Their Start

Acclaimed sportswriter Frank Deford connects the modern Games to their unlikely origin—in rural England

Frank Deford of Real Sports for HBO.

Frank Deford on Bloggers, the Olympics and 51 years of Sportswriting

The legendary writer for Sports Illustrated dishes on, among other things, the changing relationship between athletes and the journalists who cover them

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Spanx on Steroids: How Speedo Created the New Record-Breaking Swimsuit

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

The B.A.A. team in the stadium in Athens.

The Men Behind the First Olympic Team

Mocked by their peers and kicked out of Harvard, the pioneering athletes were ahead of their time... and their competition in Athens

For every hybrid sport that gets the Olympic seal of approval, there are dozens of others languishing in obscurity.

Hybrid Sports in a League of Their Own

From underwater hockey to chess boxing, could these unheralded hybrid sports be ready for prime time?

Shaun White, Snowboarding

Top 13 U.S. Winter Olympians

These athletes took home gold, but also stole our hearts. Choose your favorite winter Olympian in our poll

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