Tuesday 11 August 2015

Inventions That Have Been Used For Centuries

By Carey Bourdier


We tend to think that the latest technology is always best, and while improvements on old designs yield faster and more efficient computers, cars and phones, there are still a few ancient inventions that we still use and need during these modern times. Some of these helpful inventions have changed little over time, while others have been improved upon.

If you enjoy gardening or work in construction, a wheelbarrow can certainly provide you with an easy way to transport dirt, debris, rocks or other items from place to place. While the materials used to create wheelbarrows have changed through the years, the actual design is still fairly similar to the days when the Ancient Greeks and Chinese used wheelbarrows for many different tasks.

Often, it's the most simple of inventions that has stood the test of time. The hammer would be quintessential example of this truth. Ancient man used stone for a hammer and eventually this evolved into a stone with a wooden handle. Archaeologists have found 10,000-year-old hammers in digs in the United States that look much like the household claw hammers of today. There are dozens of styles of hammers used for different tasks, from the gavel used by a judge to a hammer used by a stonemason or the jackhammer used at a construction site.

If you are involved in launching rockets or perhaps a surveyor, then you have no doubt learned how to use a theodolite. This device, which measures both horizontal and vertical angles, has been around for hundreds of years. In fact, the first theodolites were designed in the early 1500s, and by the 1780s, these theodolites were modernized and still work in much the same way as they did then. Obviously, today's versions are a bit more precise, but you sort of need to be precise when you are launching a rocket into space or designing an interstate highway.

For purists who have a love of sailing, many ancient navigational tools are certainly still put to good use. If you don't wish to rely on high-tech navigational equipment, you will need telescopes, compasses, a three-arm protractor and a sextant to help you navigate. But what you might be surprised to learn is that even on a huge freight ship or a Naval vessel, the crew still knows how to use these items, and their use is continued to this day. After all, we cannot always rely on electricity, so having a back up is an essential part of preparation.

While not precisely ancient, the clinometer is an important tool that dates back more than 100 years. This tool measures the angles of slope in relation to gravity, and sometimes you will hear this tool called an inclinometer or even a tilt gauge or tilt meter. These types of measurements are essential to many different professions, from those who design airplanes and space craft to those who study volcanoes and even for those who are creating the slopes at a new ski resort.




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