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Olympics 2012

Science has had a hand in every aspect of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from training regimens to doping checks. Here, Nature takes a look at how research will shape the events in London 2012 and how it will influence sporting competition in the future.

Image credit: Michael Blann/Getty

Features

  • Team science

    The Olympics is a vast experiment in human performance, sport technology and global travel. Nature meets some of the scientists behind the scenes.

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  • Superhuman athletes

    Enhancements such as doping are illegal in sport — but if all restrictions were lifted, science could push human performance to new extremes.

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Opinion

  • London calling

    The battle for gold is about to begin - and science is taking its place behind the podium.

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  • Run for your life

    We evolved to run. This helps to explain our athletic capacity and our susceptibility to modern diseases, argue Timothy Noakes and Michael Spedding.

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  • Genetically enhanced Olympics are coming

    Future Olympic Games may allow handicaps and gene therapy for people born without genes linked to athleticism, predict Juan Enriquez and Steve Gullans.

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