The US Swim Team's Secret Weapon, Science 180
Hugh Pickens writes "When American Swimmer Margaret Hoelzer goes for the gold tonight in the 200-meter backstroke, part of her success will be due to a new system developed by Tim Wei, a mechanical and aerospace engineer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, that uses fluid dynamics to study human movement allowing scientists and coaches to study how fast and hard a swimmer pushes the water as he moves through it. 'Wei uses a tracking technique called digital particle image velocimetry, commonly used to measure the flow of small particles around an airplane or small fish or crustaceans in water.' Wei filtered compressed air in a scuba tank through a porous hose to create bubbles about a tenth of a millimeter in diameter. When an athlete swims through a sheet of bubbles that rises from the pool floor, a camera captures their flow around the swimmer's body and the images show the direction and speed of the bubbles, which Wei then translates into the swimmer's thrust using software that he wrote."
Sexism (Score:5, Funny)
"When American Swimmer Margaret Hoelzer goes for the gold tonight in the 200-meter backstroke..."
"...to study how fast and hard a swimmer pushes the water as he moves through it."
I'm Margaret Hoelzer, you insensitive sexist swimsuit-designing clods!
Re:Sexism (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Sexism (Score:2, Funny)
I'm allergic to /. memes you insensitive, cliche clod!
*AHH-CHOO*
Hmm... I have a correction to the title (Score:5, Funny)
Though that's not very secret. Sort of like Victoria's.
Re:The secret science is wrong (Score:3, Funny)
Swimmer gender issues (Score:5, Funny)
I dunno - if you've seen some of the female swimmers, then it's not hard to make that mistake.
Re:Olympic research (Score:4, Funny)
I think you mean lasers.
Ha!! (Score:3, Funny)
Screw science. Their weapon is Intelligent Design!
Re:The secret science is wrong (Score:4, Funny)
According to the BBC, Phelps's armoury of secret weapons includes ... Hot Grits! (no, really):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7562840.stm [bbc.co.uk]
Oh, and eggs. Lots of eggs. But don't try this at home:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/15/foodanddrink.michaelphelps [guardian.co.uk]
I knew female athletes had bulging muscles,but ... (Score:2, Funny)
I caught that too, and wondered if they had just inadvertently disclosed a cheating scandal at the Olympics.
Re:Hmm... I have a correction to the title (Score:5, Funny)
It's event pollution. See: http://www.realmansolympics.com/ [realmansolympics.com]
science? (Score:5, Funny)
I thought our *three* weapons were fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll post again.
Re:Sexism (Score:3, Funny)
As an RPI graduate, I can ASSURE you this researcher has never seen a woman before, either.
Re:Changing is easier said then done. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Sexism (Score:5, Funny)
I'll ambiguously define your antecedent!
Re:Problems with slashdot...is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
No, it's not just you.
The original slashdot page layout and comment threading system was junk. It was obviously "designed" at 3:00 in the morning after a mushroom and hash party in Taco's dorm room. They would fix it, but nobody at slashdot understands how it works.
The recent v2.0 slashdot page layout and comment threading system is also junk. It was obviously "designed" at 3:00 in the afternoon after a martini and coke lunch at an expensive steak house. They would fix it, but nobody at slashdot understands that it sucks.
Re:It's not just American athletes that are faster (Score:3, Funny)
i'm starting to hear reports, admittedly unconfirmed, that several in the USA team have been found consuming DHMO [dhmo.org] prior to competing - this substance is well known for temporarily improving athletic performance, though admittedly is difficult to detect using the current dope-tests.
i wouldn't be surprised if this scandal hits the papers over the next few days.
Re:China is using science too (Score:1, Funny)
For example, the rowing team was sent to go train in Tibet because there it is at a high altitude. At high altitudes there is less oxygen so it trains the athletes' body to use oxygen more effectively.
So THAT'S WHY CHINA invaded Tibet and refuses to leave!
Re:Sexism (Score:4, Funny)
Faster lap times due to ... (Score:5, Funny)
...being chased. By sharks. With lasers.
The high diving competitions are the result of releasing the shark and playing the video of the swimmer leaping out of the pool backwards.
Re:Sexism (Score:2, Funny)
Re:It's not just American athletes that are faster (Score:3, Funny)
Chinese Quality control (Score:5, Funny)
Everyone is faster in the pool.
Yes, they probably didn't level it right and they are all getting a downhill advantage.
Re:The secret science is wrong (Score:5, Funny)
And his body. He's like a dolphin. His proportions are perfect for swimming. And then he's double jointed in his ankles, elbows, shoulders AND chest. His armspan is 10cm greater than his height. All he needs now are gills.
Dolphins have gills?
this story brought to by the letter S (Score:4, Funny)
It works, bitches.
Re:It's not just technique (Score:4, Funny)
Increasing the viscosity would reduce turbulence...
Re:The secret science is wrong (Score:3, Funny)