π Beijing Olympics open (2008)
Where: Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest)
Read about Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest) β π See it on the 3D globe
π On This Day: August 8
August 8, 2008: Beijing Olympics open. On 8 August 2008, the Olympic opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, the 'Bird's Nest'. The date was chosen because 8 is a lucky number in China. In one scene, 897 performers became moving type blocks that formed the character ε, meaning 'harmony'.
β¨ More events on this day
- 1786 π§ Jacques Balmat and Dr Michel-Gabriel Paccard became the first people to climb Mont Blanc in 1786, the highest mountain in the Alps.
- 1866 π§ Explorer Matthew Henson was born in 1866; he was a key member of Robert Peary's 1909 expedition that claimed to be the first to reach the North Pole.
- 1908 π‘ Wilbur Wright made the Wright Brothers' first public flight in 1908 at a racecourse in Le Mans, France, amazing crowds with smooth turns in the air.
π§ Question of the day
Why was 8 August chosen?
- 8 is a lucky number in China
- It was the first day of summer holidays
- There was a full moon
Show the answer
Answer: 8 is a lucky number in China
π Landmarks that opened on August 8
Questions
What happened on August 8?
August 8, 2008: Beijing Olympics open. It happened in Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest).
Which landmarks opened on August 8?
National Parliament House, Port Moresby (opened 1984).
In the game, the "Today on Earth" panel shows this story on its day, with a question to answer and a place to fly to.
More days in August
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer_Olympics_opening_ceremony