Ailsa Craig sits about 10 miles off the Scottish coast, a granite dome left behind by a volcanic event millions of years ago. This small, now-uninhabited crag is the birthplace for every Olympic curling stone. It’s where Kays of Scotland, which has made curling stones for the Olympics since the sport appeared in the first Winter Games in 1924, gets their granite.
Curling stones have to withstand both cold and collisions, something Ailsa’s microgranite excels at. Its elasticity keeps it from cracking, and Ailsa’s unique blue hone granite resists water absorption, so that freeze-thaw cycles don’t erode the surface. That waterproofing makes for the perfect running surface. It’s no wonder that the majority of curling stones in the world originate in Ailsa. (Image credit: A. Grant/AP; via AP)
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