This week in history I learned about the jackhammer, the safety pin, and the gyroscope.
The first thing I learned about this week was the jackhammer. A wave of socialist revolutions broke out across Europe in 1848. Jonathan Couch, following a chain of steady advances, invented the jackhammer in 1848. It’s a high powered hammer drill that pulverizes hard surfaces by smashing them at over 20 times per second. The steam power was replaced by compressed air. And demonstrations were performed before investors. Massive tunnels were built, large structures can be demolished, and road construction is much less disruptive to our lives.
The second thing I learned about this week was the safety pin. The Irish Potato Famine struck Ireland in the 1840s and increased immigration to the US. Walter Hunt was a prolific inventor who had experience in sewing, and he invented the safety pin to pay off a debt. They prevent the sharp head from sticking you, and they reliably fasten materials or paper together, or to each other. They were advertised to nurses and housewives early on. They remain in use today in largely the same ways, such as for cloth diapers and clothing repairs.
The third and last thing I learned about was the gyroscope. France underwent a century of political turmoil, beginning with the French Revolution. Leon Foucault invented the gyroscope in 1852 as a simplified smaller experiment to demonstrate the earths rotation. They are spinning discs installed in gimbals that provide stability and can be used to maintain direction. Their use spread with the rise of electricity and aircraft. They are popular in consumer electronics, used in satellite systems, and mad the Cold-War-policy of MAD possible.
The most interesting thing I learned about this week was the gyroscope, because it can make a cool toy and it helps airplanes fly.
The inventions I learned about helped with coal mining, construction, fastening, and play!
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