Feather-based Jacobean Space Chariot

simonmsh writes "The article Cromwell's moonshot: how one Jacobean scientist tried to kick off the space race describes 17th century plans to build a space chariot out of springs, feathers and gunpowder. The design was based on the idea that gravity disappeared at an altitude of 20 miles, which was called into question by Hooke ^? and Boyle ^? 's work. It sounds like the plot of a Neal Stephenson book." Said book, and its sequels are phenomenal.

Comments

lol

[antivoid]

Maybe if you had a REALLY REALLY big spring ...

What a co-incedence!

[Anonymous Coward]

India's spaceshot will be accomplished using the same technique!

Feather-Brained "President" George W. Bush:

[Anonymous Coward]

"I get up every morning worrying about how to protect the
'merican people."

I wouldn't bet on it.

Thanks in advance,
Kilgore Trout

Redubyacans For Fascism

Re:Feather-Brained "President" George W. Bush:

[Anonymous Coward]

We are not sure whether Kerry agrees with that on alternate days. Tomorrow he may deny it.

KerrySenate.com - What's Kerry been up to?

Re:Feather-Brained "President" George W. Bush:

[Anonymous Coward]

John Kerry(in debate 1): "No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to preempt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America.
But if and when you do it, Jim, you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."

Bush (after debate, with script): "Senator Kerry's approach to foreign policy would give foreign governments veto power over our national security decisions,"

Kerry Campaign:"The global test is not asking for a permission slip. It's making sure that your decisions stand up to scrutiny and are backed by facts."

Me: Is Bush really that fucking stupid that he can't understand a single idea expressed in two sentances? It's not that Kerry can't take a position, its that Bush can't understand Kerry's position.

Bush (admitting he doesn't understand Kerry during debate 1): "Let me -- I'm not exactly sure what you mean, "passes the global test," you take preemptive action if you pass a global test."

Our President is an idiot. Sigh...

Re:Favorite Quote

[bombadillo]

Quotes like this remind you of a child trying to divine where all the food they eat goes.

Or more sadly it may remind you of our current president. Which of the "internets" am I using to post right now?

Re:Favorite Quote

[Troed]

A little knowlege is extremely dangerous, and history shows us a large number of "little knowlege" people that caused lots of pain and suffereing for hundreds of years afterwards.

Enter George W Bush. ... and most of the US.

Exhibit A

[Somegeek]

This story should be Exhibit A in the argument that we need to be able to moderate entire articles. This one should be -1 Offtopic.

<sarcasm>
Wow, once upon a time people had hairbrained ideas for inventions or crazy concepts about how the world works. How newsworthy!</sarcasm>

Tell me, was this article: 1) 'news for nerds', 2) 'stuff that matters', or 3) offtopic?

Re:Ancient Flying Machines in India

[LiquidCoooled]

It flew with the "speed of the wind" and gave forth a "melodious sound."

It would have to fly quickly, playing all the "melodious sounds" without a license wouldv got ye olde RIAA (Red Indian Acoustic Americans) on their asses.

Re:Favorite Quote

[bombadillo]

If I network my house with my neighbors', we have an internet.

Yes, the ignorant would call it an internet. This is a LAN. If you stick web services on your LAN you could call it an intranet. I would hate to see you disapointed when you can't access www.google.com on your "internet".