Page 173 - How It Works - Book Of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, Volume 05-15

History

What were

original rugby balls

made from?

roduced close to the school from which its name
P derives, the rugby ball was originally made from
pigs’ bladders, which is why they have such an
unconventional shape. In the 19th century,
shoemakers Richard Lindon and William Gilbert began
making balls for the pupils at Rugby School by blowing
up the bladders and encasing them in stitched leather.
The bladders were even inflated manually – a clearly
unpleasant task.
As each pig came with a different-sized bladder,
practically this meant the original rugby balls came in
a variety of sizes, but the characteristic oval shape
only emerged later. It wasn’t even until 1845 that
rugby rules, written by the pupils of the school, were
established. By 1892, specifications for the ball were
written into the game, stating among other things that © Alamy; Thinkstock
it be hand-sewn with eight stitches per inch and have Originally, rugby balls were less oval
and more rounded in their shape
a weight of 368.5 grams (13 ounces).

Has gold

always been

so valuable?

old has been prized
Gthroughout human history
due to its scarcity, combined with
a unique selection of properties
that led to its use as a currency.
Gold is rare, making up just five
parts per billion of the Earth’s
crust. It is also difficult and
expensive to extract, and so only
very limited quantities can be
mined every year, making it a
stable currency. Gold is remarkably
unreactive and so does not oxidise
like silver or iron. Therefore, gold
coins do not lose or gain weight
over time. While other metals such
as aluminium, platinum or silver
look quite similar, gold is the only
yellow metal, rendering it instantly
recognisable. Gold’s attractive
appearance has also made it a
popular material for jewellery and
other adornments. Due to gold’s
Gold has been used as a malleability, it is possible for it to
currency by cultures
across the globe be moulded into different shapes
and divided easily.

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