How Was the Wheel Invented? Computer Simulations Reveal Its Unlikely Birth Nearly 6,000 Years Ago
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Summary
Wheels are one of the most important inventions in human history, but their origins are unclear.
In a recent article, engineer Kai James posited that the wheel was first invented by miners in the Carpathian Mountains as a means of transporting copper ore.
This theory is supported by the discovery of miniature wagons made from clay, which have been dated to the same time period and location.
James suggests that the transition from rollers to wheels likely occurred due to the mechanical advantage gained from modifying the shape of the rollers.
His team created a computer program to simulate this evolution, which ultimately converged on the wheel-and-axle design.
James suggests that the wheel’s origins were likely a gradual evolution, rather than a single invention.
The article is published in The Conversation, and you can read it here.
