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The Invention of the Roller Coaster: A Thrilling History
From Russian ice slides and French wheeled cars to Coney Island's Switchback Railway, trace how the roller coaster grew into a major amusement park industry.
Home and Everyday Life
Fun and Fitness
Rides, boards and exercise machines.
The History of the First Skateboard: A Thrilling Ride
Who built the first skateboard? The origins are disputed, but homemade boards inspired by surfing in mid-century California led to the first commercial models.
The Invention of the Roller Coaster: A Thrilling Ride
How tubular steel track from 1959 and the vertical loops of the 1970s changed roller coasters, after earlier loop experiments with wooden track failed to last.
The Invention of the Skateboard: A Wheeled Wonder
How skateboarding grew from 1950s California surfers into a sport and subculture, shaped by urethane wheels, empty pools, magazines, contests and the Olympics.
The Invention of the Treadmill and Its Impact on Exercise
The treadmill began as a Victorian prison treadwheel and later became a medical test and an exercise machine. This is a history of how that change happened.
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Home Appliances Microwave ovens and the electric kitchen. Cooling Appliances Refrigerators and air conditioners. Everyday Inventions Barcodes, cards and games from daily life. Sewing and Laundry Sewing machines and washing machines in the home. Food Preservation and Cooking How people kept food from spoiling and how cooking tools evolved.