Browsing: Inventions

A Brief History On January 4, 2010, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai opened in the United Arab Emirates, taking top honors as the World’s Tallest Building, an honor it still holds.  Today, we take a look at some of the tallest man-made structures on the Earth. Digging Deeper Burj Khalifa skyscraper, United Arab Emirates, 2717 feet high Petronius Oil Platform, United States, 2100 feet high Tokyo Skytree broadcast tower, Japan, 2080 feet high KVLY-TV antenna mast, United States, 2063 feet high Canton Tower observational tower, China, 1982 feet high Abraj Al Bait skyscraper, Saudi Arabia, 1972 feet high Bullwinkle oil…

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A Brief History On December 27, 1771, French engineer, Henri Pitot, died at the age of 76.  Although you may not be familiar with him, his invention, the Pitot Tube, has probably served you well in your life, as it is the primary instrument used for measuring the speed of aircraft and boats, as well as other liquids and gases.  Today, we take time to remember some of the famous folks that died on December 27th. Digging Deeper 1834: Charles Lamb, English essayist and poet. 1836: Stephen Austin, known as “The Father of Texas” and the namesake of the state’s…

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A Brief History On December 21, 1936, the German concept of a “schnellbomber” that could outrun most fighter planes took to the air when the prototype Junkers Ju-88 made its first flight, achieving a speed of 360 mph.  Today, we look at the major belligerents of WWII and their most produced 2 engine bomber, leaving you to tell us which one was best. Digging Deeper Germany, Junkers Ju-88: 15,183 were built with a 290 mph, top speed and  3100 lbs of bomb capacity internal, plus 3000 lbs of bombs external. Defense was provided by  5 x 7.92mm machine guns Britain,…

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A Brief History On November 4, 1962, the US conducted the last event of Operation Fishbowl, a series of nuclear blasts conducted at high altitude. Digging Deeper Operation Fishbowl consisted of 5 tests, part of the larger Operation Dominic, that in 1962 saw an incredible 31 nuclear blasts.  Why so many nuclear test blasts in such a short time?  Because the Soviets had resumed testing after an unofficial nuclear test moratorium between the superpowers from 1959 to 1961. Luckily for the health of humans around the globe, the US, UK and USSR signed the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in…

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A Brief History On November 2, 1898, the day recognized as the “birth of cheerleading,” University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell became the first cheerleader in history, directing fans in cheering on the Golden Gophers football team.  UM proudly calls itself the “Birthplace of Cheerleading,” and apparently deserves that title. Digging Deeper Prior to Campbell’s date with history, regular fans that would start cheers in the stands were called “cheerleaders,” on an unofficial basis.  Today, most high school, college, and professional sports teams have cheerleaders, with a few notable exceptions. The Cleveland Browns famously or infamously do not and never…

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