All eyes are on the torch and cauldron during the Olympic opening ceremony. When the cauldron is lit, it marks the beginning of the games we've eagerly awaited for four long years. This year, however, there's something quite unique about the cauldron—it doesn't use fire! Yes, you read that right.
The cauldron features 40 LED lights and over 200 misting nozzles. These lights create the illusion of fire and smoke, but the "smoke" is actually just a cloud of water vapor. This eco-friendly marvel rises about 200 feet into the sky every night, tethered to the ground.
The Paris 2024 Olympics aimed to cut their carbon footprint in half compared to the previous two games. Traditionally, keeping the cauldron lit requires a substantial amount of natural gas. This continuous burning involves a chemical process called combustion, which releases carbon dioxide and increases the carbon footprint.
The design of the cauldron, which resembles a hot air balloon, pays homage to a historic event. Matthew Lehanneur designed it this way to commemorate the first manned hot-air balloon flight, which took place in Paris in 1783.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
This innovative departure from tradition helps make Paris 2024 the greenest Olympic Games yet!
