Are Athletes Really Getting Faster, Better, & Stronger?

David Epstein points out in this counter-intuitive TED talk that many factors are at play in shattering athletic records, and the development of our natural talents is just one of them.

Oct 11, 2017 by Maclin Simpson

Are Athletes Really Getting Faster, Better, & Stronger?

Citius, Altius, Fortius -- Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger" -- is the Olympic motto.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "records are meant to be broken"? Odds are you have. But what sort of factors are most predominant in the acceleration of athletic achievement?

Athletes are getting faster, better, and stronger. Or are they?

In the TED Talk below, investigative reporter and best-selling author David Epstein talks about how we may want to lay off the self-congratulation when it comes to record-breaking athletic performance.