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Comment by da_chicken | Hacker News Reader

Smarter Every Day did a YouTube video on this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CUojMQgDpM) where he talks about the phenomenon and also talks to the exact same guys featured in this New Yorker article. I think he does a much better job than the New Yorker article, too.

Destin also notes that, countries that study curling tend to win olympic medals. He said that in 2014, and it's interesting to note that both Sweden and Canada won medals in curling in both 2014 and 2018. [Edit: Though I believe he did say it after the 2014 games.]

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Canada has won medals in men's and women's curling every year since they reintroduced it in 1998. 2018 was actually the first year we didn't, winning only in the new mixed doubles event. The Swedish women have medalled in all but one.

So I wouldn't read too much into this. Countries where curling is popular tend to win Olympic curling medals, and countries where curling is popular also tend to study it.

This was the first year I watched the event. I knew "generally" what curling was but not I am hooked. I loved watching it. Going to see if there is a team close by.

It really is fun to at least try. I've only gone once, but had a blast.

For anyone that lives in a warmer climate, can't ice skate or wants more to watch I'd suggest you checkout lawn bowls (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowls). The games are very similar and typically people that like one like the other.

Maybe, that is they add a lawnmower or rake in front of the bocci ball. :-)

Common mistake, but lawn bowling is very different than bocce. Bocce balls are uniform spheres that you can either roll or lob. They travel in a straight line. Lawn bowling balls are oblate spheroids that are weighted on one side so that they will always curve in a certain direction (more for light throws, so you can draw around a guard like in curling). They are always rolled. So it really is a lot more like curling than bocce, though granted there is nothing analogous to sweeping.

Thanks. Didn't know.

Seems the obvious confounder for that correlation is that countries who win olympic medals actually care about curling. Whereas, those countries where there is not enthusiasm for curling, why would a researcher be inspired/motivated to study these phenomena? I doubt the researchers are directly affecting the play of any curler, since the researchers themselves can not understand the curling of the stones anyway.

Also ~80% of the world's curlers are in Canada (1M+). They shouldn't be losing to anyone.

The rest of the world is quickly catching up though, and Canadian coaches are moving abroad to coach these teams. South Korea, China, Japan, Switzerland, and Great Britain are all now competitive teams that are coached by Canadians.

And the US mens curling team won in Seoul, featuring 4 guys from Minnesota and 1 from Wisconsin. Although it's a small state, Minnesota is a powerhouse contributor to winter sports like curling and hockey for the US.

It might be the case that countries that invest in the study of curling will also produce better curlers. It might also be the case that a country that is mad about curling will produce good curlers, and have scientists who are interested in studying it.

It's a great video from SmartEveryDay though.

> I think he does a much better job than the New Yorker article, too.

Not shocking at all! Destin is amazing and it seems like the New Yorker article as written by a wannabe comedian or something who was trying to work lame punchlines in everywhere instead of inform us of something.

The top YouTube comment on the video (by "The Beast") is pretty excellent: "This is all science friction to me."

I love when he says "and DONT kneel on the ice" as it shows someone kneeling on the ice messing it up.

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