Physicists Break Down the Newest Sports at the 2024 Olympics

What are the physics present at the Olympics? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly with the help of Charles Liu, explore the science in some of the newest additions to the Games with pro-breakdancer RoxRite and freestyle BMX rider Nikita Ducarroz.

What is the physics of breakdancing? We break down some of the most popular moves on the breakdance floor and what makes it so difficult. How does the scoring system work for breakdance? How do you turn a style of dance into an official sport? Learn about the history of breakdancing and how it is making its Olympic debut on the Paris stage.

What differentiates motocross from freestyle BMX? We drop into some of the crazy moves BMX riders are doing and how the bike, the ramp, and their momentum influence their tricks. Learn what makes for a good freestyling course and the trajectory of the sport in its second Olympics.

Charles Liu joins us to break down the physics we heard from Rox and Nikita, drawing parallels between the two sports. We explore how generating torque allows the athletes to complete their moves, the forces at play, and The Tennis Racket Theorem. We discuss how these spinning moves operate on the same physics as our space telescopes in orbit. Can Charles break Neil out of his conviction that the only Olympic sports should be ones you’d see on a Grecian urn?

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: Paris Olympics
1:54 - Learning About Breaking with RoxRite
6:10 - The Rules to Breakdancing
8:20 - The Headspin & Spin Stabilization
14:18 - Freestyling & Friction
20:19 - Breaking at The Olympics
22:11 - Learn about Freestyle BMX with Nikita Ducarroz
29:09 - Physics on the Ramps
33:52 - BMX in Paris
35:26 - Breaking it Down with Charles Liu

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