The Olympics: The Basics is an accessible, contemporary introduction to the Olympic movement and Games. Chapters explain how the Olympics transcend sports, engaging us with a range of contemporary philosophical, social, cultural and political matters, including:

• peace development and diplomacy
• management and economics
• corruption, terror and activism
• the rise of human enhancement
• ethics and environmentalism.

This book explores the controversy and the legacy of the Olympics, drawing attention to the deeper values of Olympism, as the Olympic movement 's most valuable intellectual property. This engaging, lively, and often challenging book, is essential reading for newcomers to Olympic studies and offers new insights for Olympic scholars.

The entire infrastructure and culture of medicine is being transformed by digital technology, the Internet and mobile devices. Cyberspace is now regularly used to provide medical advice and medication, with great numbers of sufferers immersing themselves within virtual communities. What are the implications of this medicalization of cyberspace for how people make sense of health and identity? The Medicalization of Cyberspace is the first book to explore the relationship between digital culture and medical sociology. It examines how technology is redefining expectations of and relationships with medical culture, addressing the following questions: How will the rise of digital communities affect traditional notions of medical expertise? What will the medicalization of cyberspace mean in a new era of posthuman enhancements? How should we regard hype and exaggeration about science in the media and how can this encourage public engagement with bioethics? This book looks at the complex interactions between health, medicalization, cyberculture, the body and identity. It addresses topical issues, such as medical governance, reproductive rights, eating disorders, Web 2.0, and perspectives on posthumanism. It is essential reading for healthcare professionals and social, philosophical and cultural theorists of health.

The entire infrastructure and culture of medicine is being transformed by digital technology, the Internet and mobile devices. Cyberspace is now regularly used to provide medical advice and medication, with great numbers of sufferers immersing themselves within virtual communities. What are the implications of this medicalization of cyberspace for how people make sense of health and identity? The Medicalization of Cyberspace is the first book to explore the relationship between digital culture and medical sociology. It examines how technology is redefining expectations of and relationships with medical culture, addressing the following questions: How will the rise of digital communities affect traditional notions of medical expertise? What will the medicalization of cyberspace mean in a new era of posthuman enhancements? How should we regard hype and exaggeration about science in the media and how can this encourage public engagement with bioethics? This book looks at the complex interactions between health, medicalization, cyberculture, the body and identity. It addresses topical issues, such as medical governance, reproductive rights, eating disorders, Web 2.0, and perspectives on posthumanism. It is essential reading for healthcare professionals and social, philosophical and cultural theorists of health.

In a provocative analysis of sport ethics and human values, Genetically Modified Athletes imagines the brave new world of sport. The internationally acclaimed book examines this issue at a crucial time in its theorisation, questioning the very cornerstone of sporting and medical ethics, asking whether sporting authorities can, or even should, protect sport from genetic modification. This book brings together sport studies and bioethics to challenge our understanding of the values that define sport. We already allow that athletes can optimise their performance by the use of technologies; without wishing to assert that 'anything goes' in sports performance enhancement, Andy Miah argues that simply being human matters in sport and that genetic modification does not have to challenge this capacity. Genetically Modifies Athletes includes examination of: * the concept of 'good sport' and the definition of cheating * the doped athlete - should we be more sympathetic? * the role of the medical industry * the usefulness (or not) of the terms 'doping' and 'anti-doping'. An important and growing field of interest, this book should be read by students, academics and practitioners.

In a provocative analysis of sport ethics and human values, Genetically Modified Athletes imagines the brave new world of sport. The internationally acclaimed book examines this issue at a crucial time in its theorisation, questioning the very cornerstone of sporting and medical ethics, asking whether sporting authorities can, or even should, protect sport from genetic modification. This book brings together sport studies and bioethics to challenge our understanding of the values that define sport. We already allow that athletes can optimise their performance by the use of technologies; without wishing to assert that 'anything goes' in sports performance enhancement, Andy Miah argues that simply being human matters in sport and that genetic modification does not have to challenge this capacity. Genetically Modifies Athletes includes examination of: * the concept of 'good sport' and the definition of cheating * the doped athlete - should we be more sympathetic? * the role of the medical industry * the usefulness (or not) of the terms 'doping' and 'anti-doping'. An important and growing field of interest, this book should be read by students, academics and practitioners.

Against the backdrop of an increasingly dynamic world, driven by rapid digital innovation and technological advances, drones are becoming prolific within society. In this book, Andy Miah delivers a comprehensive analysis of the wide-reaching applications of drones, as well as a critical interrogation of the social, cultural and moral issues that they provoke. Delving into philosophical discussions about the implications of drone technology, this book shines a light on their real-world applications, the challenges they pose, and what they reveal about the human condition, when faced with a future of autonomous, intelligent robots.

The Olympics: The Basics is an accessible, issues based introduction to the unique worldwide Olympic Movement and resulting Olympics. Examining all aspects of an event which traverses sport, politics, culture, entertainment and education, this book covers:

• The history of the Games
• Management and organisation
• The political dimension
• The role of the media
• The culture, identity and legacy of the Games
• Controversies surrounding the event
• Future directions of the Olympic Movement

Giving readers a rounded understanding of all dimensions of the Olympics, this book is essential reading for students of sports studies, Olympic studies and events management, and all those wishing to gain a deeper insight into the world 's largest sporting event.

Ever wondered what a superhero eats for breakfast? Do they need a special diet to feed their superpowers? The odd metabolisms of superheroes must mean they have strange dietary needs, from the high calorie diets to fuel flaming bodies and super speeds, to not so obvious requirements for vitamins and minerals. The Secret Science of Superheroes looks at the underpinning chemistry, physics and biology needed for their superpowers. Individual chapters look at synthesising elements on demand, genetic evolution and what superhero suits could be made of. By exploring these topics, the book introduces a wide range of scientific concepts, from protein chemistry to particle physics for a general scientifically interested audience. With contributions from leading science communicators the book hopes to answer some of these important questions rather than debunk or pick holes in the science of superheroes.

Ramifications of the convergence of sports and digital technology, from athlete and spectator experience to the role of media innovation at the Olympics. Digital technology is changing everything about modern sports. Athletes and coaches rely on digital data to monitor and enhance performance. Officials use tracking systems to augment their judgment in what is an increasingly superhuman field of play. Spectators tune in to live sports through social media, or even through virtual reality. Audiences now act as citizen journalists whose collective shared data expands the places in which we consume sports news. In Sport 2.0, Andy Miah examines the convergence of sports and digital cultures, examining not only how it affects our participation in sport but also how it changes our experience of life online. This convergence redefines how we think of about our bodies, the social function of sports, and the kinds of people who are playing. Miah describes a world in which the rise of competitive computer game playing-e-sports-challenges and invigorates the social mandate. Miah also looks at the Olympic Games as an exemplar of digital innovation in sports, and offers a detailed look at the social media footprint of the 2012 London Games, discussing how organizers, sponsors, media, and activists responded to the world's largest media event. In the end, Miah does not argue that physical activity will cease to be central to sports, or that digital corporeality will replace the nondigital version. Rather, he provides a road map for how sports will become mixed-reality experiences and abandon the duality of physical and digital.

A Flash of Light is an intriguing book that starts at the beginning of time itself and then winds its way through a host of fascinating light related topics including the hues of aliens sunsets, the psychology of colour, and the chemistry of LCD screens. Written as part of a novel experiment, editors Mark Lorch and Andy Miah hatched a plan to collect a critical mass of academics in a room and charged them with writing a popular science book, under the watchful eye of the general public at the Manchester Science Festival. The result is an enlightening look into the science behind colour and light, encompassing biology, chemistry and physics and including simple and fun "try this at home" ideas to illustrate the concepts covered. Drawing on the experience of some of the UK's best science communicators, this book will appeal to anyone with an interest in science. Its pacey, witty and engaging tone provides illuminating insight into how and why we see the universe the way we do.