Who Invented The Wheel? Here's The History

YOGYAKARTA – Have you ever wondered who invented the wheel? Essentially, the wheel is the result of human ingenuity, constantly evolving and innovating. Initially, the wheel was a tool to make human work easier.

While it's unclear who first invented the wheel, several key figures have played a role in its development. This article will provide you with some historical information about the wheel.

Who Invented The Wheel?

The wheel didn't just appear out of nowhere. Its invention has generated much speculation among inventors. One theory suggests that the wheel was first invented by Neolithic miners. They harvested copper ore from the Carpathian Mountains, a mountain range that stretches across Central and Eastern Europe, as early as 3900 BC, as reported by royalsocietypublishing.org.

Furthermore, there are discoveries of ancient wheels estimated to have been used in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) in 3500 BC. According to Science ABC, these wheels were used not for transportation but as tools for making pottery.

Regardless of when the wheel first appeared, its shape has continued to evolve. Many researchers suspect that the wheel originally resembled a cylinder, simply placed under a load, freely or without a hook.

The shape of the wheel has continued to improve until it reached its present form. This process required a lengthy refinement process, undertaken by a number of tire inventors. Here's a summary, as reported by theinventors.org.

• Charles Goodyear invented the rubber tire (1839)

The inventor of the first rubber tire was Charles Goodyear in 1839. The tires he made were made of hard vulcanized rubber so they were more shock-resistant and stronger against friction.

• The invention of the pneumatic tire (1888)

It could be said that the emergence of the modern tire is due to John Dunlop. He succeeded in creating a pneumatic tire filled with air. However, at that time, these tires were used for bicycles.

• Pneumatic tires began to be used (1895)

André Michelin was the first to use pneumatic tires for automobiles. In 1895, Michelin attempted to replace solid rubber tires with pneumatic tires. Unfortunately, pneumatic tires were not yet able to meet the needs of vehicles at the time.

• Inner tube and outer rubber tire were found (1911)

Then, in 1911, Philip Strauss successfully created a tire considered more perfect than the pneumatic tire: a rubber tire and an air-filled rubber inner tube. His creation was then marketed by the Hardman Tire & Rubber Company.

• Patented tubeless tires (1903)

Tubeless tires have successfully replaced the tires developed by Strauss. In 1903, P.W. Litchfield of the Goodyear Tire Company patented the tubeless tire. Unfortunately, this tire product has not yet been commercialized.

That's the information regarding who invented the wheel. Visit VOI.id for more interesting information.