Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Simple inventions

Bert pointed to the Hippo Roller. A simple method for transporting water in low tech areas.

It is interesting how effective inventions are often really simple. Recently I bought a new shower, and it has little rubber spouts where the water rays come out, which means that any accumulation of lime scale can just be rubbed off. Genius.
Where I live now it's less important, but back in flat Denmark it would be a blessing. Here, I used an electric kettle for years, and there was barely any lime scale to speak of (a see-through layer). In Denmark, use one for a few months, and there's a pencil-thick layer! I've seen kettles where the bottom with the coil was practically one big block of lime scale. (Which is dumb, since obviously it insulates.)

2 comments:

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

I absolutely love it!
Feels as brilliant an idea as the invention of the wheelbarrow.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't it? Has a side consequence, too: "rolled" paths will resist being washed away by rain, for the ground will be hardened and flattened. Which in turn makes the water easier to carry. How much energy will be saved!