2014 Olympic medalists could take home a piece of Russian meteorite

Olympic gold medals are rare enough as it is, but the ones given out at the 22nd Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia will be rarer still: some will include a piece of the giant meteorite that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia one year prior. The special medals will only be handed out to winners on February 15th, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the rock falling to earth. While the cities of Chelyabinsk and Sochi aren’t exactly neighbors — Google Maps estimates a 34-hour drive — that doesn’t seem to be the point. “We will hand out our medals to all the athletes who win gold on that day because both the meteorite strike and the Olympic Games are global events,” said Alexei Betekhtin, Chelyabinsk minster of culture.