Curling, The Most Mysterious Olympic Sport
To physicists, curling presents the most puzzling conundrum in the Olympic Games.
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PRODUCTION CREDITS
Digital Producer: Ari Daniel
Production Assistance: Yasmeen Fakhro & Annie Kim
Editorial Review: Julia Cort
Special Thanks: Greg Kestin
© WGBH Educational Foundation 2018
MEDIA CREDITS
Visuals:
USA Curling
Linda Yip
pixels.com
pixabay.com
shutterstock.com
Music: APM

@kennyrodgers6400
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Tbh its kinda tricky because my first thought was the magnus effect in a sense till I saw the bowl curve the opposite way then it stumped me
@malcolmdean6899
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
The pebbles get scratched as well.
@malcolmdean6899
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
If you spin a top it rotates in that direction.
@SuburbanCowboy74
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Of course the scientist talking about how tye stones curl on pebbled ice would be from the epicenter of curling, Saskatchewan 🇨🇦
@dustmybroom288
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
I don’t understand all the dislike people have for Curling? I think Curling is very underrated
@samehabouez8267
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Nah is still weird
@changer_of_ways_999
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
It's a mystery of how something so convoluted became an event in a global sporting event. Winter Olympics in general feel incredibly exclusive which seems contradictory to the point of the Olympics in the first place. It's basically just another European circle jerk. Curling is the prime example of it.
@htownsend3284
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
There is nothing mysterious about it. The coefficient of friction between that flat rock with a handle, and the ice, is essentially zero!
@GaryLane080157
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
I totally understand and can explain the "Mystery or Secrets" of Curling but I can't figure out who to talk to about it. Also would love to explain and test a theory of the brushing that could change the sport of curling.
@whirledpeas3477
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Never has humans been so board. 🤷
@ameliac504
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Its weird
@pierredelaverde3671
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Why is this a sport?
@Lumberzach82
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
i suppose anything can be turned into a game
@roundpeg3239
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
At no point does it curl. It does curve though.
@RobertBooth
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Terrible video can’t keep up with it
@RobertBooth
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Whoever made this video reads at 100mph
@goodboybenji95
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
dumb sport
@reloda
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Dreadful presentation, completely distracting and unnecessarily dramatic music, underwhelming penetration into subject matter, immature and tabloid in tone
@clemayk
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Why a waste of time and resources just for this silly “sport”
@waltwhitman7545
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
there has to be some sort of chaotic motion in this system
@deagolowang3580
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
No no no no no no no.
@djtrema876
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
It’s 2022 & I’m just knowing about this sport. Thanks to YouTube auto play😩😂😂😂😂
@therealfahadameen
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Isn’t it behaving how a sphere behaves on air? If you kick a ball with a (anti)clockwise spin it’ll swing that way in its flight. No idea, but that may be somewhere to look for answers?
@christopherdouglas2154
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Wow that was an excellent presentation of no explanation WHATSOEVER ON WHAT EXACTLY CURLING IS ABOUT??? LIKE WHAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE GAMES AND HOW DO YOU GET POINTS? NOT JUST WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON??? THESE PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT!!! IM SO HAPPY THAT YOU CAN MAKE A LIVING OFF OF EXACTLY NOTHING EXCEPT BULLSHIT LIE'S THESE DAYS
@skysedgeproductions6170
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
My theory? This is an elaborate prank they pulling on normal god fearing hard working simple folks.
@myaoyorozu2512
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
This must be fun to play. But watching it? Doesn’t look exciting
@rajsaindhav
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Nd they havent allowed cricket in Olympics
@bodhisattvaaaaaa
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Wtf they do with those sticks … You didn't explain that
@Victoria28057
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
How this became an Olympic sport?🤨🙄😒
@davyshah1074
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Who the hell came up with this sport?? And who thinks that yeah this is what I will do for the rest of my life?
@Dessyenuh
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Did you come here after TikTok????
@greenice6386
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
I need to about this because I’m playing a game called Battle cats an they have cat called curling cat it looks just like a curling 🥌 stone but a tiny cat in it . I know now . 😂
@Myheartstempo
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Is it just me…
Or did they sample either a Tevin Campbell or Toni Braxton song??? I mean…AM I TRIPPING??????
@user-agreement-disengaged
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
These people were bored as sh*t! 😂
@user-agreement-disengaged
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Seems pretty dumb to me.
@Nemesis_T_Type
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Curling is an Olympic sport but MMA is not. That's weird.
@bingowashisname2345
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
But it didn’t explain what the sweeping does exactly? Does the friction shave down the pebbles?
@benvee8736
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
4mins 32seconds I'll never get back 😭
@1001001a
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
The sweeping is kinda funny (and a little dumb..)
Look, i have an idea to make everyone's opinion
Make the rock become an explosive bomb
and if it hit the bull mark and blow up, everyone can enjoy a little something
It's real tension
@CreepySpino
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Noice.
@ranualtjg88
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Still not make sense this thing still on olympic
@mukulm
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
It is definite people would watch anything
man these people push a rock on ice and they have Olympics for that………. WTF
I need to stop using the internet now
@JEn-mq6vn
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
All those years working as janitor.
@9mmAlpha
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
This is as boring as golf i dont know how its a sport
@chelovd123
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
Never laughed to hard at this, is this an olympic sport?… But I actually started practicing with tea boiling pot on the floor, fun!
@stevensims3342
March 18, 2026 at 6:09 am
I would say it is the added weight and the slight bit of lubrication at the front. That makes a lot of sense honestly.
Comments are closed.