Your Burning Questions About the Olympic Torch, Answered
Curious minds will want to know that the blaze is lit not with matches or a lighter, but using a method that dates to Ancient Greece
The Olympic Flame was lit from the sun’s rays using a parabolic mirror, during the final dress rehearsal for the lighting ceremony at Ancient Olympia, in southwestern Greece, on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. (AP)
By Maya Wei-Haas
smithsonian.com
February 9, 2018
After 101 days of traveling by plane, train, automobile, Korean warship, zipline and even robot, the Olympic torch will finally reach the site of the Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. This Friday, a lucky honoree will use it to light the Olympic cauldron in a grand, symbolic start to the games.
While the blaze looks like any other, its origins are special: It was lit not with matches or a Zippo lighter, but with a parabolic mirror, echoing rituals from Ancient Greece.
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https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/your-burning-questions-about-olympic-torch-answered-180968120/#AibGrJ2XGR8Tyhoc.99
