Points For Tryin'

What did the 1950's think the future would be like?  According to illustrator Frank Tinsley, it would be filled with water cannons, space rockets, and giant vegetables. 

A companion to Episode 14, a full reading of Robert Goddard's short story "The High Speed Bet". For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/IrYFJU7aUGM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Ep. 14 - Vacuum Trains: The Hyperloop from 1904 Airless tunnels?  Check.  Magnetically-levitated trains?  Check.  Promises of insanely-fast travel?  Also check.  But this isn't Elon Musk's Hyperloop, Alfred Beach and Robert Goddard had him beat by over a hundred years. For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/zXYJ2XtqOyM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach_Pneumatic_Transit https://untappedcities.com/2020/04/20/nycs-first-subway-a-one-block-pneumatic-tunnel-below-broadway/ https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/beach-pneumatic-transit-the-1870-subway-that-could-have-been https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Beach_Pneumatic_Transit https://gizmodo.com/the-scifi-story-robert-h-goddard-published-100-years-a-1494959842 https://web.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/Goddard/goddard-high-speed-train.pdf https://patents.google.com/patent/US2511979A/en

What if you could get to space, WIHOUT using any rockets?  (Or in the case of SpinLaunch, a much smaller rocket than usual?  That's what we're looking at today. For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/v9booqvNrTQ If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michaellaine/space-elevator-science-climb-to-the-sky-a-tethered https://www.liftport.com/ https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/ https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/2000-Space-Elevator-NASA-CP210429.pdf https://www.spinlaunch.com/ https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2019164472A1/en https://spacenews.com/spinlaunch-conducts-first-test-of-suborbital-accelerator-at-spaceport-america/

Happy April Everyone! For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/jbuRTyV9htg If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode is all about the internet's favorite food: BACON!  Lean more about the first attempt at instant-bacon, and turkey bacon's older brother. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/LzOWpgsvdOs If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode looks at some UFO-centric ideas.  Like the time a Canadian company designed a flying saucer for the Air Force, and the REAL project behind the Roswell alien story. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/_vp1emOSqt8 If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode we look at your comments and ideas!  Keep them coming at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com   For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/49xAtggmhic   If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode looks at some innovative uses for hydro-power: hooking up household gadgets to the sink to power them, and even using water in a computer.   For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/glktE3u23Is   If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode looks back at the some famous (failed) inventors.  Abraham Lincoln holds a patent for a device to stop boats from running aground, and Albert Einstein once designed his own airplane wing.   For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/GMIN3S0sr-A   If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode looks back at some attempts to ACTUALLY re-invent the wheel, from alternate ways of steering to parking-assist features.   For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/WCQHCHGZX2w   If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode asks the question: "will it fly"? For tanks and submarines, the answer was "sort of". For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/ATdDt-gVids If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode features two human-launching patents.  One tried to make childbirth easier using centrifugal force, and the other tried to launch people onto the roof of a building. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/WW0k3gSxmlM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

This episode features some of the many ways that animals have been used as spies and weapons: pigeon cameras, bat bombs, cat microphones, and pigeon-guided bombs. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/QZ8a0Q6Wf_M

This episode features some unconventional ways the post office used to deliver mail: cruise missiles and underground tubes. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/bAJPmSu4z9k

This episode features two propeller-powered vehicles, Marcel Leyat's Helica car and the German Shienenzeppelin ("rail zeppelin"). For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/fpxRBHo2cT4

This episode features the GE Pedipulator (aka the Walking Truck) and the John Deere Timberjack. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/Hjug5afyPQg