The Boy Who Bounced To The Olympics
Can a circus net turn into an Olympic sport?
Dig deeper
Quarky is writing this for you...
The story
Watching trapeze artists drop into a safety net, 16-year-old George Nissen wondered what if the net were the fun part. In 1930s Iowa he stretched canvas on a steel frame with springs, invented the trampoline, and decades later it became an Olympic sport.
What you'll learn
- Springs store energy when you land and give it back when you push off.
- Nissen built his first bouncing rig in his family's garage as a teenager.
- Trampolining became an Olympic event in 2000.
- Kid takeaway: a silly what-if question can turn into something huge.
Comments (0)
- Be the first to say something nice!
Up next
4:44
Kid Inventors · Ep 1
The Boy Who Invented Reading With Your Fingers
How do you fit a whole alphabet under one fingertip?
4:40
Kid Inventors · Ep 5
The Girl Who Turned Orange Peels Into Rain
Can fruit peel help a farm survive a drought?
4:44
Kid Inventors · Ep 7
The Boy Who Built A Radio Station From Trash
How do you give a whole neighbourhood a voice?