How Olympians are handling adversity on the world's biggest stage

Elite athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy, are increasingly prioritizing mental health alongside physical performance. Gold medalist Michaela Shiffrin utilizes intensive self-talk and preparation to overcome past heartbreak, while figure skater Ilya Malinin emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging the "human" side of athletes amidst the pressures of social media. This focus on psychological well-being coincides with a landmark legal trial involving Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who testified for five hours regarding tech addiction and the safety of young users on platforms like Instagram. Beyond human interest, scientific exploration in Antarctica has yielded the first-ever recording of a sleeper shark in the Southern Ocean, challenging previous biological assumptions about the region. The legacy of legal pioneer Jane Bolin, the first Black woman to serve as a U.S. judge, further highlights the theme of resilience by showcasing her forty-year career dedicated to ending segregated childcare and institutional bias.