Curious about how those incredible athletes manage such amazing feats? NBC Learn has teamed up with the National Science Foundation to produce Science of the Olympic Winter Games, a 16-part video series that explores the science behind individual Olympic events.
The series includes these topics:
Science of the Winter Olympics: Science Friction
John Shuster, the captain of the U.S. Curling Team explains this unusual sport, and NSF-funded scientists Sam Colbeck explains the science behind it.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Banking on Speed
A lesson in physics from the U.S. bobsled team.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Figuring Out Figure Skating
An Olympic hopeful and an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences explain scientific principles behind figure skating.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Downhill Science
Racing down the slopes using physics.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Snowboarding
To get “max air” off the half-pipe without losing their balance, snowboarders might want to check out this experiment.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Internal Athlete
Getting the best out of Olympics athletes.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Blade Runners
Speed skating on the edge of physics.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Air Lift
U.S. hopefuls Todd Lodwick and Bill Demong, along with NSF-funded scientists Paul Doherty, and physicist George Tuthill explain principles of physics that are used to get high scores in the long jumps.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Science of Skis
U.S. Ski Team members explain how the materials used to make skis play a vital role in their performance on the mountain.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Aerial Physics
Freestyling through the air with physics.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Science of Skates
Melissa Hines and Sam Colbeck explain how innovations in boot and blade design help skaters perform better than ever before.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Safety Gear
NSF-funded scientists explain the physics of a collision and exactly how this gear, especially safety helmets, works to prevent injury.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Mathletes
Mathematics takes Olympians to the edge of their sports.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Suit Up
Hear from Olympians about how the latest in competition suits will go to work for Team USA in Vancouver.
Science of the Winter Olympics: Olympics Motion
What makes an Olympian an Olympian?
Science of the Winter Olympics: Slapshot Physics
Physics helps the US women’s hockey team achieve its goals.