Olympic Torch Goes On A Space Walk

The season is approaching for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It seems that each country hosting an Olympic Games tries to outdo the preceding nation in some way -- and the Russians are no different. They have done something quite unique. Instead of trying to top other nations with their opening ceremony (although I'm sure they will put on a good show), they have taken a different route to make their Olympics unforgettable.
Last Thursday, they sent the official Olympic torch (which will be used to light the Olympic flame in the opening ceremony) into space. As they sent three new astronauts into space to replace astronauts finishing their time on the international space station, they sent the torch up with them. Although an Olympic torch has been to space before, the Russians took it one step further. They sent the torch on a space walk with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (see picture above). The torch was then returned to Earth on Monday.
I like the symbolism of this. While the Olympics are rooted in the past (the original games in ancient Greece), the space walk of the torch also links it firmly to the 21st Century.