What Olympic athletes see that viewers don’t: Machine-made snow makes ski racing faster and riskier – and it’s everywhere

US Olympic skiers and scientists explain the sharp differences between natural snow and machine-made snow, from the science to the rising risk of crashes.

(James Hill | The New York Times) The ski slopes that will host the women’s alpine competitions for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.