It started with the wheel, and just kept rolling. Bicycles, horse drawn carts, cars, buses and boats, all of these have their place in the story of transport through the ages; a story which is brought to us today by Calum Macdonald, Kerry Anne Macleod and the History Hunters. It's thought the first wheels appeared in the Bronze Age although they weren't made of bronze, but of stone. Over time, thanks to spokes, wheels got lighter, stronger and more useful.
In their first transport-related challenge today, the History Hunters experiment with wheels and an axle, and use wind to propel a car uphill. The next task is to employ tissue paper, glue and patience to launch a replica hot air balloon up, up and away.
Gears used a force called torque to control the speed and stability of early bikes and all sorts of transport since and in the studio, Calum and Kerry Anne demonstrate how gears work - using vegetables! Then, they make a Leonardo Da Vinci-inspired elastic band-powered helicopter.
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