One event has been covered extensively and the other relatively little. Both, though, should be great sources of pride for Americans.

     As the world focused its eyes on London in preparation for today’s closing ceremonies of the Olympics, the United States was once again in a position to take home the most medals from this year’s games. The feats of record-breaking swimmer Michael Phelps, gymnast Gabby Douglas, Mississippi’s gold-medal winning track and field stars Brittney Reese and Bianca Knight, and other U.S. Olympians have been the subject of water-cooler talk for the past two weeks.

     Of course the Olympic games are contests among athletes and not nations. Nevertheless, the spirits of every nation rise and fall based on how their respective athletes perform in the games. Host nations, like Great Britain this year, also take great pride in serving as the home for the games.

     In that regard, the success stories of the United States’ Olympians have hopefully provided moments of unity as we collectively hoped for and cheered them on to victory and then watched our athletes stand proudly as the Star-Spangled Banner played over medal presentations.

     These upbeat moments have given everyone a break from the bickering over politics, laments about the sad state of the economy and news of violence at home and abroad.

     Garnering fewer headlines than the Olympics and certainly far less media coverage was the landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars last week. Following its 354-million mile journey, the rover will study the area in an effort to determine if life ever existed on the “red planet.”

     The touchdown on Mars was in a small way reminiscent of the national pride that the U.S.’s successful race to the moon generated back in the 1960s.

     While the Olympics represent a triumph of the body, the Mars rover landing symbolizes another triumph of the mind for the United States.

     Many nations’ attempts to reach Mars have failed, and the U.S. has had its share. However, NASA said its last six missions to our nearest planetary neighbor have been successes and only the U.S. has managed to land on its surface and collect usable information.

     From sports to science, U.S. athletes and engineers continue to inspire and unite us. If only that inspiration and unity could be evident every day.