Technology News

Chemical reaction in landslide rocks may start wildfires
A new research has suggested that a chemical reaction in rocks in landslides may be responsible for starting wildfires. ANI

Now, a project to encourage visually-impaired pupils to take up computer science
The U.S. National Science Fioundation (NSF) is funding an initiative at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) that has been designed to help prepare visually impaired middle school and high school students participate in computer science programs at the collegiate level. ANI

New invention to neutralize hurricanes with help from supersonic jet
Scientists have put forward a patent application about developing a supersonic hurricane neutralizer, which can put a spanner in the atmospheric works by flying supersonic jet aircraft in concentric circles around a hurricanes eye, the calm area around which the storm rotates. ANI

Skates made of animal bones were the oldest human means of transport

Archaeological evidence has shown that skates made up of animal bones are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 BC.

Washington, Dec 24: Archaeological evidence has shown that skates made up of animal bones are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 BC.

A recent study led by Dr Formenti and Professor Minetti provided significant evidence backing the hypothesis that ice-skating originated in Southern Finland, where the number of lakes within 100 square kilometres is the highest in the world.

"In Central and Northern Europe, five thousand years ago people struggled to survive the severe winter conditions and it seems unlikely that ice skating developed as a hobby," said Formenti.

"As happened later for skis and bicycles, I am convinced that we first made ice skates in order to limit the energy required for our daily journeys," he added.

During the study, the researchers experimented with an ice rink by the Alps, and measured the energy consumption of people skating on bones there.

Mathematical models and computer simulations of 240 ten-kilometre journeys helped researchers reckon that in winter, the use of bone skates would have limited the energy requirements of Finnish people by 10 per cent

Their calculations also showed that the advantage given by the use of skates in other North European countries would be only about one per cent.

The study has been published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society of London.

ANI