Sports

From floor routine to vault, here's the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold

Another Olympics, another set of stellar performances by the U.S. women's artistic gymnastics team. Thursday, the team won two medals in the women's all-around final: a gold for Simone Biles and a bronze for Sunisa Lee. The medals add to the team's overall count, which also includes a gold for the women's team final. Simone and Suni are expected to lead the team to more medals in the coming days. Each day the gymnasts compete, we are left to pick our jaws off the floor and wonder: How do they do that? So we called up one of our favorite science communicators, Frederic Bertley, to explain just that. He's the CEO of the Center of Science and Industry and our gymnastics physics guide for the day.

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A look at Ashleigh Johnson, a powerhouse of women's water polo

On Wednesday in Paris, the U.S. women's water polo team faced off against Italy and proved once again what a dominant force they are in the pool, cruising to a 10-3 win.

For the team's star goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson, these games have been something of a reunion. She has played professionally on both Greek and Italian teams. Now that she's in Paris, she's competing against some of her former teammates.

She's the first Black woman to play on the U.S. women's water polo team. She made 80 saves at the Tokyo Olympics alone — more than any other goalkeeper in the women's and men's tournaments. She's considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

So how far will Johnson go in these Olympics?

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