ICE SKATING

Most hear the phrase “ice skating” and think of figure skating, but there are a couple other variations of the sport. Speed skating is an exhilarating ways to practice your finesse on ice. As the name implies, speed is the focus, with the victor being crowned on who crosses the finish line first. There are three major types: long track, short track, and marathon. The variation determines the length of the race. Speed skating is notable for being the first winter sport to have an international federation founded, in 1892.

One of the biggest innovations for speed skating was the dawn of artificial ice. 1956 saw the last appearance of natural ice in the Olympics. Franz Krienbuhl, a Swiss skater, was also at the forefront of the development of more aerodynamic suits. These new suits were made of spandex and replaced the attached head covering with helmets. Some suits are made of Kevlar in order to protect the skater from the blades on the opponents’ feet. In 1996, the International Skating Union allowed clap skates. Clap skates were first invented in 1900, but the new revitalization allowed for greater speeds without a risk of safety.

HOCKEY

Hockey is somewhat infamous for being one of the most physical and violent sports commonly played today. But it’s also a sport that causes a great deal of wear and tear to the arena- namely, the ice upon which its played. Hockey directly led to one of the oddest devices in history: the ice resurfacer. Commonly referred to as a “Zamboni” after the inventor, it was created in 1947. Zamboni originally owned a refrigeration business, which lost sales as in-home refrigeration grew more common. Undettered, he opened an indoor ice rink which proved popular. Smoothing the ice proved cumbersome, so he modified an army Jeep to shave and wash the ice. It proved so iconic and useful that he began mass-producing them, resulting in the vehicle we all recognize today.

SKIING

Skiing has led to its fair share of… odd inventions, to say the least. One of the oldest winter sports, it lends itself well to finding new ways to increase speed and safety. Or, for Sergei Khavlin, one over the other. In 2011, the Russian man gained infamy for his propeller skis. The skis themselves are typical, but the strange part is on Khavlin’s back. By combining a 200cc lawnmower motor, some paraglider parts, and a homemade propeller, he’s managed to construct a self-propelling system. He typically uses it to commute to work.

For something less exclusive and more safety-oriented, there’s the LED ski suit. Ideal for night skiers, the suit features up to 1500 LED bulbs over the waterproof and shockproof suit. It can be synced with music for ski performances. Or maybe it’ll just illuminate the tree directly in your path.

SNOWBOARDING

Snowboarding is among the newest winter sports to be added to the Olympics, first being included in 1998. It had only been invented 33 years earlier by Sherman Poppen. The engineer wanted to create a toy for his daughters to use in the snow. He strapped two skis together with a rope at the end to provide control as they went downhill. Poppen’s wife dubbed it the “snurfer,” and it proved popular enough that Poppen later pitched it to a manufacturer.

SLEDDING

When people think of sledding in the winter, they usually picture children playing on a snow day. Enter the bobsled. A team rides inside of a sleigh and make their way through a winding course using gravity alone. Unlike the sports listed above, bobsledding is less about exposure to the elements and more a focus on teamwork. A four-man crew consists of a pilot, a brakeman, and two pushers. The ice is used to keep up momentum. This mostly applies to modern bobsledding, however. Originally, the sport was held with riders on an open sleigh, rather than the enclosed version commonly seen now.

The modern bobsled was developed by the Linney brothers- Bob and Bill. During the late 1930s, the pair built the first two-man sled to use a steel plank as the linkage. This allowed for greater control and speed through turns. They also were responsible for the side-mounted handles used by pushers to build momentum. In 1946, Bill developed the first steel sled with built-in shock absorbers. This design is still used today.

CURLING

Take shuffleboard and add sweeping. That’s the basic premise behind curling, winter sports’ biggest oddity. Two teams of four compete on ice to get their stone into a circular target called the house. The stone is not a misnomer- also called rocks, they’re literal polished pieces of granite with a handle on top. Modern curling stones are almost identical to their early counterparts, with the exception for high-level play. An electronic handle detects vibrations in the thrower’s hands and reports any “hog line” violations. This has eliminated the need for inspectors in international play, but the price puts it out of reach for most curling clubs.

What’s your favorite winter sport? Let us know on our social media and in the comments!

The post Invention Spotlight: Winter Sports appeared first on Inventionland.

EARMUFFS

At the humble age of 15, Chester Greenwood just wanted to go ice skating. But when he got on the ice, he quickly retreated back to his house because his ears were too cold. He asked his grandmother to sew two bunches of fur between loops of wire. The manufacturing of these ear protectors, now known as earmuffs, kept his hometown of Farmington employed for nearly 60 years.  In fact, the first Saturday of December is designated as Chester Greenwood Day to celebrate the man and his invention.

DOWN JACKETS

The earliest known use of down feathers for insulation was in the 1600s- a Russian document lists “bird down” as being sold to Dutch merchants. Down feathers now typically come from domesticated geese but historically could be from anything from ducks to seagulls. It was first patented in the United States by none other than Eddie Bauer in 1940 and would become his most successful and iconic product. As the decade progressed, Bauer made several other products with down: comforters, pillows, a “sleeping robe” and a sleeping bag he guaranteed to keep people warm in temperatures as low as -60 degrees F.

SNOWSHOES

Snowshoes were invented in Central Asia, taking inspiration from the evolutionary traits of winter animals. The version most are familiar with- webbed with lacings- was created by Indigenous people. These consisted of flat leather surfaces and rounded wooden blocks and were meant to help the user walk over a large area without their foot sinking into the snow. Although a necessity when first invented, today they are more used for recreation and their design has changed accordingly.  Today’s modern snowshoe was created by Gene and Bill Prater in 1972 and is made out of aluminum and nylon.

GLOVES (AND MITTENS)

It’s hard to tell when wearing gloves for protection from the cold started, but most theorize it to be as old as clothing itself. Mittens, meanwhile, date back to Latvia around 1000 AD and actually keep your hands warmer than gloves. The story behind mittens is rather unique. When getting married, Latvian women were gifted with a hope chest filled with mittens, each with a different pattern to bless their homes, their husbands, their families and the world around them.  Side note: mittens with the string attached so they don’t get lost are called idiot mittens. Make of that what you will.

ELECTRIC BLANKETS

In 1912, physician Sidney Russel invented the first electric blanket. It was designed to be placed under a mattress and send heat upwards to the person in bed. The more traditional kind that let you snuggle directly underneath was developed by George Crowley in 1930. The addition of a thermostat to control temperature was added in 1936. Today, we can snuggle up under heated quilts and rest our heads on heated pillows… here’s hoping one day we’ll have a heated mattress. And while electric blankets may not seem like outdoor winter wear, tuberculosis patients were given them to keep warm while they slept outside for treatment…making them a mandatory piece of survival.

THERMAL UNDERWEAR

Thermal underwear, or “long johns,” were first introduced to the British public in the 17^th century. It wasn’t until the next century that they caught on as sleepwear. These garments were meant to be worn not only for sleeping but also under normal clothing to keep warm and insulate the body. Traditionally wool was used, but a much less itchy cotton or cotton-poly blend are commonly used today.

BALACLAVA

During the Crimean War, the battle of Balaclava was fought. Due to the name and location, the facemasks the soldiers wore were nicknamed “balaclavas.” While primarily used for protection from the elements, the garment was designed to be multi-purpose. The modern ski mask is a variation of the balaclava meant for the wear and tear of sports.

The post Invention Spotlight: Winter Wear appeared first on Inventionland.

STRING LIGHTS

While they might be a hassle to get untangled, prior to their release, people would decorate their trees with live candles. As you can imagine, this was actually pretty dangerous, so Edward Johnson sought to create a safer alternative. Johnson, the protégé of Thomas Edison, debuted his electric Christmas lights to the public in the late 1800s and the tradition of wrestling with them each year has persisted ever since.

GIFT CARDS

These popular stocking stuffers and gifts from relatives you don’t really speak with first debuted in 1998. Nancy Gensburg and Carol Jacobsohn of Swift Gifts in Illinois combined the magic of modern credit cards with store-specific gift certificates and gift cards were born. They were an instant hit and now most retailers have some version of a gift card.

YULE LOGS

Few people burn actual yule logs anymore. The tradition started as a pagan ritual to celebrate the winter solstice, usually burning pine, birch, oak, or aspen (with each type of wood having a different meaning). The modern equivalent is the yule log cake or “Buche de Noel.”  A chocolate sponge cake is rolled around cream and decorated to look like a traditional yule log. It was first created by a French pastry chef in the late 1880s.

THE DREIDEL

Before becoming the game of choice at Hanukah gatherings, the dreidel started as a top popular in Germany during Christmastime. The Jewish community soon adopted the toy, changing the letters on the top from German to Yiddish. Some stories also suggest that they were used as a cover-up after illegally reading the Torah while hiding from the Seleucids.

CANDY CANES

White sugar candy sticks were popular treats, but in 1670 the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided to bend them to look like shepherd’s crooks. They were handed out to children to keep them quiet during services. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the peppermint flavor and iconic red stripes were added, making them the wintertime snack we all know and love.

GREETING CARDS

Surprisingly, Hallmark had nothing to do with the first Christmas card, although they did help popularize them years later. The first card was designed in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and his friend, artist John Horsley. The inscription was a simple “A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” Believe it or not, the card was actually quite controversial because it included an image of a child being given a glass of wine. But one controversial card didn’t stop this fad. Today, thanks to sites like Shutterfly, many families send out personalize cards with family photos so you can see just how much everyone has grown in the last year.

WRAPPING PAPER

We have Hallmark to thank for wrapping paper, naturally. People traditionally wrapped their presents in fabric or plain papers, but the Kansas City, Missouri Hall Brothers store ran out of the latter one day in 1917. They started offering patterned envelope liners as an alternative. Shoppers loved it and gift wrap hasn’t been the same since. Today, you can find gift wrap decorated with everything from donuts to dinosaurs, and it’s become an art to match the gift wrap with the receiver’s personality.

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES

While going out as a family to pick out the perfect Christmas tree is considered iconic, nowadays many pull the artificial one from the basement. Early artificial trees were made in Germany out of wire covered in green-dyed feathers. In the 1930s, the plastic tree most are familiar with was introduced by Addis, a toilet brush company and the first trees were made out of, you guessed it–toilet brush bristles. We’ve come a long way since then and now you can get trees pre-lit, snow covered and in all colors of the rainbow.

The post Invention Spotlight: Holiday Inventions appeared first on Inventionland.