During the Olympic opening ceremony, all eyes are usually on the iconic torch and cauldron, which symbolize the start of the long-awaited Games. This year, however, the cauldron boasts a unique feature—it doesn’t use fire!
Instead, the cauldron is equipped with 40 LED lights and over 200 misting nozzles. These lights create the appearance of flames and smoke, though the “smoke” is actually just a cloud of water vapor. This eco-friendly design reaches about 200 feet into the sky each night, supported by a tether.
The Paris 2024 Olympics are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by half compared to the previous two Games. Traditionally, keeping the cauldron lit requires a significant amount of natural gas, which involves combustion—a process that releases carbon dioxide and contributes to a larger carbon footprint.
The cauldron’s design, resembling a hot-air balloon, is a nod to a historic milestone. It was created by Matthew Lehanneur to commemorate the first manned hot-air balloon flight that took place in Paris in 1783.
This innovative approach marks Paris 2024 as the most environmentally friendly Olympic Games ever.
