Skateboarding began in 1950s California as sidewalk surfing when the waves went flat

pop & funWikipedialate 1940s–early 1950s · California, USA

Skateboarding began in 1950s California as sidewalk surfing when the waves went flat

the gist

Skateboarding started in the late 1940s or early 1950s when surfers in California wanted something to do on flat days. Early boards were wooden boxes or planks fitted with roller skate wheels, and riders copied surfing style and often rode barefoot. Surf shops and surfboard makers in Southern California built boards that looked like small surfboards and sponsored teams, and in 1965 the first televised skateboarding contest aired on ABC. Skateboarding then dropped in popularity after 1966, when reports of injuries made shops and parents wary. It came back in the early 1970s after polyurethane wheels gave far better grip.

so what

The sport's early history explains its style, since much of its tricks and culture came from surfing. Its crash-and-recover cycle of popularity shows how safety fears and equipment changes can shape a whole sport. Skateparks built in the 1970s also grew from people repurposing drainage reservoirs.

fun fact

Two 1965 Road Runner cartoons showed Wile E. Coyote riding a skateboard.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Vlwisconsin ( talk ), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗