The Boy Who Swam With Wooden Wings
How can two wooden paddles make you swim faster?
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The story
In 1717 an eleven-year-old Benjamin Franklin loved swimming in Boston harbor and wanted to go faster. He carved two thin oval paddles of wood, drilled holes for his thumbs, and gripped one in each hand. Suddenly every stroke shoved back much more water, and he shot forward. He had invented swim fins.
What you'll learn
- Push water backward and the water pushes you forward: action and reaction.
- A bigger paddle moves more water with each stroke, so you go faster.
- Franklin tested his fins himself and noticed his hands tired quickly.
- Kid takeaway: a small change to a familiar tool can be an invention.
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