Tag: cut

The Advent and Evolution of Noodles Within China

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The oldest known noodles ever discovered were found in China and date back 4000 years, discovered virtually fully preserved in a sealed bowl buried beneath sediment. These noodles were not made of wheat but rather from millet, which provides insight into early culinary traditions of the ancient world. These millet based noodles were distinct from future varieties which relied upon wheat, reflecting the grains available in ancient China during the period. This discovery demonstrates the early noodle making techniques which became refined over the coming centuries. By 400 B.C., noodles existed across Asia, likely produced by mixing flour and water into a dough. In comparison to the noodles from 400 B.C., which were likely produced using wheat or other grains and kneaded into dough, the 4000 year old noodles appeared to have been hand pulled and stretched into thin strands rather than being cut. By 400 B.C., more structured noodle cutting methods had emerged, allowing for different regional styles and preparations of noodles to develop (e.g. Lamian which is a hand pulled noodle still popular during the modern day, Dao Xiao Mian which is shaved directly from a block of dough, Biang Biang Mian which is known for its wide belt like shape etc.). These discoveries highlight not only the ingenuity of early civilizations but also the evolution of food production and technologies to produce said food. The shift from millet based noodles to flour based dough reflects advancements in milling, agricultural practices, and culinary techniques, demonstrating how food has continuously adapted over time to the resources available to local populations

The Reason Icebergs Sink Ships

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The reason that an iceberg is able to cut into the side hull of a ship (e.g. Titanic etc.) or any other marine vessel is dual fold. The first reason is because steel becomes more brittle, the colder it gets. Steel created during the early 20th century was not tempered as steel is during the modern day. The second reason is because of inertia, weight, and force. An iceberg can slash through steel the same way a tree can rip through a vehicle that has hit it. An iceberg is a large, immovable object, so whether the hull is comprised of wood or titanium, the ice will always win out as it has more inertia and mass. To provide a frame of reference, bone is incredibly strong and tensile, however if a brick which is harmless while at rest, slams down from a height above the arm, the force it imparts is enough to break said bone

The Discovery of the Route Which Allowed Explorers to First Climb Mount Everest

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British born George Mallory, the person tasked with heading the team who first set out to climb Mount Everest in 1921, overlooked what is now used as the doorway to Mount Everest, the entry point of East Rongbuk Glacier. When Mallory first viewed this entry point, a narrow cliff within the mountainside wall, he dismissed it as too modest and small to warrant further investigation. Canadian Oliver Wheeler however was educated in the science of topography and geography from his father who surveyed the Canadian west coast Rocky Mountains and because of this, he did not view the dimensions of the cut to be as important as the pulse of water pouring out of that cut every afternoon. This enormous volume of expelled water signaled to Wheeler that a glacier had to be present at the head of the valley as it was the only possible explanation which fit. On July 30, 1921, Wheeler set out for the East Rongbuk Glacier and as he anticipated, he was able to make it up the ice field within 6 short days. As the East Rongbuk Glacier widened and curved around, it came directly to the base of the North Col, a sharp edged pass carved by glaciers in the ridge connecting Mount Everest and Changtse (pronounced “chang-see”). This opening became the key to unlocking Mount Everest and is still leveraged by climbers into the modern day. 6 days after setting out, on August 4, 1921, Wheeler sent a dak runner, which is essentially a Tibetan messenger, with a sketched map indicating his discovered exploit of the armor of Mount Everest for Mallory