Difficult doorknobs, funnel races, water wheels and pinwheel power! Difficult doorknobs, funnel races, water wheels and pinwheel power! The Curious Crew learns that a wheel and axle consists of a ...

To most of us, wheels seem pretty intuitive. You’ve probably known from an early age, for example, that circular or rounded things roll more easily than boxy or angular things. Knowing this, it’s hard ...

Wheels are the archetype of a primitive, caveman-level technology. But in fact, they're so ingenious that it wasn't until 3500 B.C. that someone invented them. By that time — it was the Bronze Age — ...

The invention of the wheel is often hailed as one of the most transformative moments in human history. Yet, for all its importance, the origins of this revolutionary technology remain murky.

Wheels, rims, donuts, hoops, rollers, or whatever you call them—they are a must on your Jeep, or it’s not going anywhere. More importantly, the right wheels are a must, and we don’t just mean the bolt ...

Imagine you’re a copper miner in southeastern Europe in the year 3900 B.C.E. Day after day you haul copper ore through the mine’s sweltering tunnels. You’ve resigned yourself to the grueling monotony ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...

The origins of the wheel remain one of history's greatest mysteries, obscured by fragmented evidence and centuries of ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...