Science pervades sports. From technologically advanced methods for monitoring physiological data to optimize training regimens to modern medical treatments for sports-related injuries, the two areas of human endeavor are practically inseparable. A new book from Scientific American, titled The Science of Sports: Winning in the Olympics, celebrates this marriage of sport and science by exploring different facets of today's athlete quite literally from head (see sections titled "The Psychology of Winning" and "Concussions") to toe (see the essay on "How to Avoid Shin Splints").
Contributions from Scientific American editors and a few freelance science writers make for an interesting range of perspectives on several topics that sit squarely at the intersection of Olympic sport and science. And because the book is published in the e-book format, it allows for a timely treatment of current topics affecting the upcoming Olympic Games. For example, one of the more interesting entries was a ...
