The Olympic ‘Flame,’ For The First Time In History, Isn’t Actually A Flame
Photo by Ammar Abd Rabbo/ABACAPRESS.COM / Alamy Stock Photo
The Olympic flame illuminating Paris this year isn’t a fiery beacon like the ones of old, but a dazzling illusion that, more importantly, aligns with the city’s ambitious carbon emissions goals.
What appears as a flickering flame lighting up the night sky is actually a “cloud of mist and beams of light,” according to the Paris 2024 organizers themselves. The cauldron, ingeniously suspended by a hot air balloon, employs 40 LED spotlights and around 200 misting nozzles to simulate the look of real flames and smoke, creating a display that brings to mind the famous Mirage hotel volcano in Las Vegas.
Instead of pumping out carbon dioxide like a dragon breathing fire, the Olympic cauldron is floating gently in the sky, a mesmerizing mirage that’s as kind to the planet as it is to the eyes. We’re being gaslit in the best way possible.
Photo: Vasque des Jeux, via Paris 2024
Paris, determined to make these Games as green as possible, set a bold target to cap carbon emissions at 1.5 million tons, a stark contrast to the usual 3.5 million tons seen in previous Summer Olympics. By forgoing the traditional natural gas flame, the French Organizing Committee is emphasizing environmental stewardship.
The real blaze, the one that started it all, did actually make the journey from Olympia, Greece, to Paris. It was carried by a masked runner who looked like they’d stepped straight out of an Assassin’s Creed game. But once it arrived, it was tucked away safely, like a precious jewel, while its high-tech doppelganger took center stage. Soccer legend Zinedine Zidane had the honor of passing the symbolic torch before the mist and lights show began.
Modern decisions have been made for the sporting event, but tradition endures, even if this spectacle has shifted from blazing flames to an eco-friendly mist.
[via New York Times, Live Design Online, Fast Company, Olympics.com, images via various sources]
