Athletes sometimes appear to defy human mechanics. For the rest of the world, it would seem insurmountable to ride over 2000 miles in more than 20 days. But to cyclists in the Tour de France, it's part of the job! When you consider athletes like this, it has to make you wonder: is it in their genes?

Some original research was conducted to answer this question, and the short answer is yes! While it goes without saying that practice makes perfect, scientists have identified 23 combinations of genes that enable athletic superiority. The article tells us that the odds of having all 23 is 200,000 to 1.

Those are not bad odds! However, this interesting study brings up some great questions. For example, could we see Olympians genetically engineered some day? While the thought of artificially creating superior athletes takes all the fun out of it, this also backs the truth that hard work and determination usually win in the end.