NEWS

Inside The Olympic Torch

We fully support the Tibet protesters who have been trying to extinguish the Olympic flame before it reaches Beijing, but damn, the actual torch is a pretty dope piece of craftsmanship.

Created by Lenovo, a Chinese computer manufacturer, the polished aluminum-magnesium alloy torch was worked on by 34 designers for a year before the final plan, called “Clouds of Promise,” was finalized. The red color and cloud designs are traditional Chinese signifiers, while shape resembles a scroll, which is a nod to one of China’s greatest contributions to the world—paper. The China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation designed the actual burning mechanism, which is meant to withstand winds of up to 65 km/hour, stay lit on top of Mount Everest and produce a bright, stable flame that can be seen in sunny conditions. After the jump, check out a gallery of torch photos and detailed design illustrations.