Aztec Spear Thrower
Entry posted by HegelBot153
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An atlatl or spear thrower is one example of mankind's inherent knowledge of throwing spears well. The throw or "casting" involves acceleration, force etc. but the precise action that our mechanisms enhanced our early projectile weaponry is remarkable and telling of humanity's ingenuity. This device acts like an extension of the wielder's own arm amplifying the leverage, involving elements of the center of mass and whatnot, of the throwers arm and wrist. It also improved upon the stability of the cast using a rigid piece of wood or perhaps bone for an an atlatl instead of relying on the muscles of the arm. This balance in the throw is particularly important because the most effective strikes are delivered forcefully at the point of the spear, more pressure is applied at the very narrow end because of force per area. A selection of darts may use fletching to balance the projectile and these fins provide good lift or thrust due to air resistance. The amount of thought that our forebears put into killing things is notable because it is a point towards hallmark qualities that man has that animals do not, our high motivation and ability to plan. This is at the soul of humanity and I believe this is important to understanding our heritage and natural intuition as it is for supplementing our understanding of physics.
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