Why the Wheel Is Round

Wheels and other mechanisms were, until very recently, powered by the push and pull of the muscles and skeletal systems of humans and other animals. Providing a unique history of the wheel and other rotational devices– like cranks, cranes, carts, and capstans– Vogel examines the contraptions and tricks we have devised in order to more efficiently move– and move through– the physical world. In doing so, he offers a captivating exploration of our common technological heritage based on the simple concept of rotation.