The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are, first and foremost, a celebration of human endurance, strength and ability. But they're also a massive display of technological effort, from the Chinese government's laudable (but largely ineffective) efforts to clean up the air to athletes' performance-enhancing gadgetry.
In short, we've come a long way from the days when Olympic competition required little more than naked athletes in a simple stone stadium.
While Wired.com is not known for our coverage of sports, Olympic or otherwise, we're more than happy to dive deeply into the science and technology of the games. Here, then, is a look at the most high-tech Olympics yet.
Photo: Jason Lee/Reuters
Olympic Events
It was a wired Olympics: Don't miss our guide to watching the Games online, and read our coverage of the Games' high-tech opening ceremony.
- How to Watch the Olympics Online - Wired How-To Wiki
- Olympics Opening Ceremony Fireworks 'Faked' on TV
- Google Simplifies Olympics Calendar on Cell Phones
- Gifted Firestarter: High-Tech Pyrotechnics Kick Off Olympics
Olympic Athletic Performance
Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt dominated the headlines with their record-setting feats of speed. Aside from their amazing talent, what science and technologies lie behind modern athletes' incredible achievements -- and what will tomorrow bring?
- Bolt Is Freaky Fast, But Nowhere Near Human Limits
- Science No Help in Olympic Gymnastics Age Controversy
- Cheats of Strength: 10 Next-Gen Olympic Doping Methods
- Gallery: Gadgets Boost Olympic Performance -- Legally
Photo: Usain Bolt after winning the 100m, by Rich115/Flickr
Olympic Media Coverage
NBC's ambitious coverage included massive amount of online video, much of it streamed live from Beijing. But it was the network's prime-time broadcast programming that took home the gold.
- China Reinstates iTunes Access -- Minus Songs for Tibet
- China Blocks Access to iTunes Store
- Composer Says Beijing Olympic Committee Ripped Him Off
- Phelps Beats Fireworks in Viewers
- New Olympic Event: NBC, Yahoo Battle Over the Numbers
- Advertisers Looking Beyond NBC Online For Olympics Opportunities
- NBC Laughs All the Way to the Bank (Take That, Bloggers)
- Zucker Still Looking for Loose Change on the Internet
- P2P Sites Bring Home Loads of Olympic Gold
- Teens Totally Not Into Olympics
- Olympics Journalists Urged To Use Crypto, to Thwart Chinese Spying
- NBC's Plan for Olympics on Web: Everything But Live Events
Photo: Michael Phelps, by vironevaeh/Flickr
Olympic Air Quality
The Chinese government spent months trying to mitigate Beijing's notorious pollution. Sadly, their efforts didn't appear to have a major effect -- but on the bright side, they may lead to new insights into how to control air pollution.
- UAVs Search For Scientific Silver Lining in Beijing Pollution Clouds
- Beijing Leads in Race for Most Polluted Olympics
- Olympic Organizers Give All Clear To Beijing Air, Despite Smog
- Beijing's Anti-Smog Efforts Failing, Independent Readings Suggest
- Why China's Olympian Efforts to Clean Up Beijing's Air Won't Work
- Interactive Feature: Sensing Air Quality at the Olympics [AP]
Image: The bird's nest Olympic stadium shrouded in smog. Credit: Ry Tweedie-Cullen, flickr/rytc
__Olympic Gadgets __
Check out the latest high-tech hardware at the Games, from high-tech buildings to some of the most bad-ass video gear ever assembled in one place.
- Lenovo Ultraportable Makes an Olympic Debut
- RFID + Olympic Ceremonies= Oppressively Long Lines and One Security Hole
- Pic: Microscopic Beijing Olympic Logo
- Nikon and Canon Cameras Rockin' the Olympics
- Official Olympics Phone Is Blackjack II
- Lenovo Capitalizes on Olympics With Fancy USB Drives
- Olympics Structure Shines Bright With LED Lighting
- Garrett Brown Gives You a 'God's Eye' View of the Olympics
- The Gadgets That Bring the Olympics to You
- China, Coca Cola to Spam Phones at Olympics
- Beijing Olympics Stadium Being Monitored for Structural Health
- USB Dongle Breaches Great Firewall of China
- Mini Olympic Torch Rekindles Old Flame
- Olympic Torch Emits 5,500 Tons of CO2
- High-Tech Olympic Torch Carries 5,000 Years of History
(Photo of the 'Water Cube' courtesy of LED manufacturer Cree)
