Photo courtesy USA Luge
The luge is one of the most dangerous sports in the Olympic games. See more luge pictures.
There are those of us who get a little nervous moving at 90 miles per hour protected by steel, air bags and anti-lock brakes. And then there are those of us who ask, "Can we remove all protective mechanisms, get close enough to kiss the pavement and lie down so we can't see real well?" Replace "pavement" with "ice," and you've got yourself the makings of a luge team.

Luge is one of the most dangerous sports in the Olympic games, and the athletes who race down an icy, high-banked track at up to 90 mph (140 km/h) are a special breed. In this article, we'll learn all about Olympic luge and find out what it takes to finish first.

If you think the luge is dangerous, then you need to read the article on ice climbing and watch video from Discovery’s Fearless Planet to see what winter sports are really all about.