Video The gravity-defying physics of figure skater Nathan Chen

This video has been updated in a later version to reflect the controversy surrounding the quads in Nathan Chen’s 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic routine. The newer video is linked in the credits, or can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtFGwpMlOYo

17-year-old Nathan Chen is on the verge of becoming the world figure skating champion. We break down the gravity-defying physics behind his record-breaking moves.

Read more about the science behind Nathan Chen's routine: https://goo.gl/fsthmn

Nathan Chen is on the verge of becoming the best figure skater alive. But the stresses on the 17-year-old American aren't just psychological. Chen is known for doing more quadruple jumps in a single program than any other figure skater in the world. But the moves are incredibly taxing on the human body. These are the physics behind figure skating's most difficult jump.

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