In The NEWS

First in (Controlled) Flight
What's the significance of the Wright brothers?

Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with creating and flying the world’s first sustained, controlled, heavier-than-air aircraft. One-time bicycle mechanics with only some public high school education, the two made history in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec. 17, 1903, when they successfully flew a 600-pound, 40-foot-wide plane over 120 feet in 12 seconds under its own power.


Building on the work of gliding pioneers, the pair invented the three-axis system—a standard in aircraft today—to control the plane’s flight at every stage, allowing pilots to direct movement from nose to tail (pitch), wing to wing (roll), and top to bottom (yaw) (watch breakdown). Their scientific, documented approach to aviation pioneered the use of wind tunnels, aluminum crankcases in engines, and more, laying the foundation for the industry.


Adoption and large-scale production of their airplanes took time, in part because many observers doubted their claims and the practicality of powered flight. In 1908, a series of public demonstration flights in the US and France finally convinced skeptics and brought the Wright brothers international fame, spurring a wave of competitors, imitators, and lawsuits.

... Read our full explainer on the duo here.

Also, check out ...
> Peruse the Wrights' personal collection of more than 300 photos. (Look)
> Inspiring takeaways from famed historian David McCullough's popular 2015 "Wright Brothers" book. (Listen)
> There's debate about who really was "first in flight." (Read)
> A piece of the Wright Flyer flew on the first powered flight on Mars. (Read)



Digitized Collectibles
NFTs, explained

Nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, are unique digital assets stored on a blockchain that represent ownership of images, GIFs, songs, videos, virtual plots of land, and more.

Unlike “fungible” assets that can be exchanged for an identical asset, including the US dollar and bitcoin, NFTs are not interchangeable, making them more similar to fine art than currency. Each NFT is unique and verifiable on the blockchain.

NFTs helped bring a huge wave of attention and investment to the crypto space, despite hype for the digital assets fading over time.

As NFT scams have become increasingly common, the space’s credibility has been questioned. Proponents don’t think these incidents overshadow the space’s potential, given that NFTs can benefit artists and other creators by generating new income sources through the assets’ initial sale and, potentially, ongoing royalties when they’re resold.

... Read our full write-up on NFTs here.

Also, check out ...
> The most expensive NFT ever sold for $92M. (Read)
> NFT trading peaked in 2021 and has since significantly declined. (Read)
> A celebrity's NFT was "kidnapped" in 2022. (Listen)
> Examine the pros and cons of NFTs. (Read)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS