With the Winter Olympic Games approaching, athletes are getting ready to compete for bronze, silver, and gold medals. But did you know that the gold medals aren’t actually made of solid gold? Instead, they are mostly sterling silver with a thin layer of pure gold on top. The last time a solid gold medal was given out was way back in 1912! The bronze medals are made from a mix of metals, mainly copper and tin, and are worth only about $4.
On February 15, 2014, some athletes received special medals containing pieces of the Chelyabinsk meteor, which exploded over Russia a year earlier. In the first modern Olympics in 1896, winners got a silver medal and an olive branch, while second place received a bronze medal, and third place got nothing at all.
China didn’t win any Olympic medals for a long time, finally earning their first in 1984. The word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek word “gymnos,” meaning “naked,” because ancient Greek athletes competed without clothes. However, this wouldn’t work at the Winter Olympics, which started in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
The Olympics were first shown on television in 1936 in Berlin, Germany, during a time of great political tension. The broadcast reached about 150,000 viewers, replacing the usual radio coverage. Over the years, some Olympians have been very young, like Dimitrios Loundras, who won a bronze medal in gymnastics at just 10 years old. The oldest medal winner was Oscar Swan, who won a silver medal in shooting at 72.
The first snowboarding event in the Olympics happened in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Canadian Ross Rebagliati won the first gold medal in snowboarding, but he temporarily lost it due to a marijuana controversy. Now, he is involved in the medical marijuana industry.
The Olympic logo is made up of five rings in blue, red, green, black, and yellow on a white background. These colors represent the flags of every country in the world. Despite the cancellation of two Winter Olympics during World War II, the games continue to bring countries together.
To celebrate the excitement of the Olympics, a new video will be released every day for 19 days starting February 6th. You can watch some of these videos at cbc.ca/olympics. The series will answer interesting questions like why we get nervous, how diet affects performance, and more. If you have questions, use the hashtag #ScienceSays to share them. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exciting science videos!
Design and craft your own Olympic medal using materials like cardboard, foil, and paint. Think about the history of Olympic medals and incorporate elements that represent the spirit of the Olympics. Share your design with the class and explain the significance of your choices.
Research key events in Olympic history and create a timeline. Include events like the first modern Olympics, the introduction of new sports, and significant achievements by young and older athletes. Present your timeline to the class and discuss how the Olympics have evolved over time.
Choose a country and create a profile highlighting its Olympic history. Include information about the country’s first medal, notable athletes, and any unique contributions to the Olympics. Present your findings to the class and compare the Olympic journeys of different countries.
Using the concept of the Olympic rings, design a logo for a fictional future Olympics. Consider the symbolism of the colors and how they represent unity among nations. Share your logo with the class and explain your design choices.
Create a trivia game based on the facts from the article. Include questions about medal compositions, historical events, and notable athletes. Play the game with your classmates to test your knowledge and learn more about the Olympics in a fun and interactive way.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music] With the Sochi Winter Olympic Games just around the corner, athletes will be competing for bronze, silver, and gold medals. However, the winners will actually receive gold medals made almost entirely of sterling silver. The first-place medal will be practically identical to the silver medal, except it must be covered in at least 6 grams of pure gold. In fact, the last solid gold medal was awarded in 1912. The current bronze medal is made of a metal alloy composed mostly of copper and tin, potentially valued at only $4.
Meanwhile, athletes who win first place on February 15, 2014, will receive unique medals embedded with fragments of the Chelyabinsk meteor, which exploded over Russia exactly one year ago. Gold medals weren’t always awarded to champions; at the first Olympiad in 1896, winners received a silver medal along with an olive branch, while the runner-up received a bronze medal, and third-place finishers received nothing.
China also received no medals at the Olympics for a long period, with their first Olympic medal coming in 1984. While Olympians trained in gymnasiums, the word “gymnasium” actually comes from the Greek word “gymnos,” meaning “naked.” So, it’s no surprise that ancient Greeks competing in the Olympics were completely nude. However, nudity would be hard to pull off at the Winter Olympics, which occurred for the first time in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
Shortly after this, in 1936, the Olympics were broadcast on television for the first time, held in Berlin, Germany, during the Nazi regime. The fuzzy black-and-white images replaced conventional radio coverage, drawing an estimated audience of 150,000 viewers. As the Olympics grew older, some Olympians seemed to be getting younger; the youngest Olympic medal winner was Dimitrios Loundras, who was awarded a bronze medal in gymnastics at the age of 10. On the other hand, the oldest Olympic medal winner was Oscar Swan, who won a silver medal in shooting at the age of 72.
The first snowboarding Olympic event was held in Nagano in 1998, where Canadian Ross Rebagliati infamously took home the first gold medal in this event. He lost his medal the next day due to traces of marijuana found in his system, claiming it was from secondhand smoke. Ross is now entering the medical marijuana business with his first cannabis café opening in Whistler.
Mix that gold with the blue, red, green, and black rings on a white background, and you get the Olympic logo, representing the colors of every country’s flag in the world. Unlike the two canceled Winter Olympics during World War II, it serves as a reminder of our international communities consistently coming together.
Due to the excitement surrounding the Olympics, we’ve decided to release a video every single day starting this Thursday, February 6th, for 19 days straight. Our amazing partners at the CBC already have five of the videos available for you to watch. Just head to cbc.ca/olympics to check them out.
We’ll be addressing your burning questions, such as why we get nervous, does sex affect athletic performance, the ideal Olympic diet, and more. It’s a science blitz, but we also want to know your questions for this special series. Use the hashtag #ScienceSays and let us know your burning Olympic questions. And as always, subscribe for more awesome science videos!
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This version removes any potentially sensitive or inappropriate content while maintaining the overall message and information.
Olympics – A global sporting event held every four years, where athletes from around the world compete in various sports. – The Olympics have a rich history, dating back to ancient Greece, where they were held to honor the god Zeus.
Medals – Awarded to athletes for achieving top positions in competitions, typically in gold, silver, and bronze. – Winning medals at the Olympics is a dream for many athletes, as it represents the pinnacle of their sporting careers.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Learning about the history of the Olympics helps us understand how the event has evolved over time.
Athletes – Individuals who are trained and skilled in sports, games, or physical exercises. – Olympic athletes train for years to compete at the highest level and represent their countries.
Gold – A precious metal used to make the highest-ranking medal awarded in competitions. – Winning a gold medal at the Olympics is considered one of the greatest achievements in sports.
Silver – A valuable metal used to make the second-highest-ranking medal awarded in competitions. – The athlete was thrilled to win a silver medal, marking a significant achievement in her career.
Bronze – A metal alloy used to make the third-highest-ranking medal awarded in competitions. – Although he aimed for gold, the athlete was proud to bring home a bronze medal from the Olympics.
Meteor – A small body of matter from outer space that enters the Earth’s atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light. – Scientists study meteors to learn more about the composition of our solar system.
Gymnasium – A room or building equipped for physical exercise and sports. – The athletes spent hours training in the gymnasium to prepare for the upcoming competition.
Snowboarding – A winter sport where individuals descend a snow-covered slope on a snowboard attached to their feet. – Snowboarding became an Olympic sport in 1998, attracting a new generation of winter sports enthusiasts.
