We're going for gold on this week's Olympian Naked Scientists, by discovering the sporty science of performance enhancement. We find out how drugs can help boost an athlete's performance, and how the testing labs are hot on their heels! We also explore how altitude training and hi-tech trainers can power athletes past their personal bests. Plus, a stem cell cure for muscular dystrophy, flies with flu and how a rubber Anaconda could generate energy from waves. And in Kitchen Science, we find out how to get the biggest bounce from two balls!
Listen Now
Download as mp3
m4a or Subscribe Free
Could an Anaconda be the best way to extract power from waves? Possibly not the snake itself, but it's namesake - a rubber tube capable of harvesting wave power...
What is the difference between cars that run on petrol and cars that run on diesel?
Make a tennis ball bounce much higher than the height you dropped it from using a neat piece of physics.
We’ve seen the news stories in previous Olympic tournaments where athletes have been caught using performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, to increase their chances of winning their event. But how much of a boost is this really giving them? We’ve got Professor Chris Cooper...
I wanted to know if there are any naturally derived (or if there are only synthetic) steroids. Also, if there are any natural steroids would it be possible for an athlete to get them in his daily diet? Would that disqualify him from any sporting events?
What’s the fastest a human could run, theoretically. What’s the fastest a human could sprint at with the aid of all the latest blood and drug enhancements?
How are sport officials cracking down on athletes using the wide range of drugs available to boost their performance, including the natural chemicals in use? We’ve got Jonathon Danaceau from the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Lab at the University of Utah to give us the an...
Another method often used by athletes to reach their peak performance is to use the best equipment or clothing on the market. Whether it’s the lightest bicycle or the toughest tennis racket, having the best equipment on your side can make a real difference. So we sent Meera Sent...
How is it possible for a Bornean flat-headed frog to have no lungs and breathe through its skin?
Can we not just monitor athletes to see how their metabolism is behaving and then regulate it so everyone has the same level?
I’ve always wondered something. If you were a really evil athlete and you had a competitor could you drug their drink in the pub the night before the event and they’d get knocked out of the competition?
Are there just some people who have above-average levels of testosterone and that’s what gives them the advantage?
Drugs seem to be getting stronger and more common. Could they be excreted and end up in our water supply?
Is it faster to run barefoot? I run in my local sports track a few times a week trying to beat my personal best of 2:40 but to no avail. Last month, on a whim, I decided to run it barefoot. I ran 2:34 which is totally smashing my personal best. I’ve tried it again and since r...
Related Content
Comments
