At the time, it’s not hard to imagine that their neighbors must have thought they were a little eccentric. They had to work their way up to the first manned flight. They started out with a series of gliders. However, the brothers would probably be totally shocked to discover the evolution of that first airplane.
Surprise, surprise! The first hot air balloon predates the airplane by more than 100 years. A scientist named Pilatre De Rozier sent up the first balloon in September of 1783. The first passengers were a sheep, a rooster and a duck. The balloon stayed aloft for approximately 15 minutes.
Two months later, 2 French brothers built another balloon. The first manned flight remained airborne for approximately twenty minutes. Launched from the center of Paris, their success became big news, and the popularity of hot air ballooning launched, big time.
So, if you have thought, all these years, that the Wright brothers were the first to fly, technically, you would be incorrect.
Spoon or Fork
Every day you probably pick up one or both of these common eating utensils and don’t even think about it. But, have you ever wondered which came first, the spoon or the fork?
As an eating utensil, historians believe the fork was first used by Constantinople. Based on this information, it was probably invented around 400 A.D. You can see the original at the Dumbarton Oaks Collection in Washington, D.C.
The fork came first. The first known spoon dates back to approximate 600 A.D. However, it was a little more ornate than the spoon you might use to eat your oatmeal in the morning. It was made of silver, and the bowl of the spoon had engravings like a ram. The handle was elaborately carved, and the underside of the spoon also had some ornate design.
Chicken or the Egg
People have been asking this question for generations. Of course, if you believe the Bible, the answer is simple. Adam was created. Then, God made the animals. He brought them to Adam to give them names. After they were given names, the animals were sent forth to be fruitful and multiply. So, the chicken had to come before the egg.
However, if you don’t believe in the Bible and creation, you will likely ponder this question forever. Then, you will never know the answer for sure.
So, now you know which came first. Well, at least for a few things anyway. You might find it surprising to discover that societies have had much of what we enjoy, long before they had the technology to make their creations easy. While today’s factories now make the things we take for granted in bulk, our ancestors made each item one at a time.