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| Sunday, 6 February 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Then 'n' now The world around us is constantly changing, not only at the hands of Mother Nature, but also at the hands of man, due to his ingenious inventions. Modern technology has helped man come a long, long way from the type of lifestyles he lived in the ancient days. In this series we examine how things have changed in various fields over the years to make life more comfortable for man. From pathways to motorways Travel plays a key role in our development. Man is constantly on the move, and today travel is easy because of the improved transport systems around the world. People travel by road, air and sea in numerous contraptions turned out by using modern technology. Long before airplanes, trains and ships were introduced into the world of transport, man travelled about on foot, mostly along pathways. Roads which we know today were not even thought of then. People went everywhere following animal paths through the jungles. Even today, there are many explorers who visit areas where there are no roads, by simply hacking their way through jungles with the help of a native (a person who lives in that area). Beaten earth tracks were also used to get about from one primitive village to another. It was only with the invention of the wheel that these routes were improved and their surfaces strengthened. Then, they came upon the problem of crossing rivers. In such an instance, the traveller simply used a log or tree trunk which rested on the banks. However, carts, which were very much in use then, needed wider and stronger structures. This led man to build bridges. The earliest bridges were all made of wood. Then, arched stone bridges were built, followed by bridges with two or even three arches. It was much later that long iron bridges were built, some of them suspended from steel cables. Then came bridges made with concrete. Motorways Today, everyone is familiar with the modern motorways which enable the motorists to drive their vehicles at break-neck speeds. These modern motorways with flyovers are the signs of man's progress over the years. In ancient times, the greatest road builders were the Romans. In each land they conquered, they built great roadways with stone. Many of these roads can be seen even today. For many centuries, road surfaces were made of either beaten earth or stone. However with the introduction of motor cars, roads with stronger and even surfaces were required to cope with the increase in speed and travel. Hence a mixture of bitumen and fine gravel was used to cover the road, with a layer of asphalt. It is the system used even today to carpet our roads. |
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