THE oldest land-speed record of them all has finally fallen. Last week, a British team pushed their steam-powered car to an average speed of 225 kilometres per hour over two runs of 1 mile. It’s good to see steam cars making a comeback, but this world record won’t do much to get them back on the road for real. So spare a thought for the previous record holder, Fred Marriott. For 103 years his name has been the one fixed and familiar point in the ever-shifting pantheon of speed records. Romantics might wish the British team hadn’t bothered.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
Cancer is increasing in young people and we still don't know why
News
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
People are betting on measles outbreaks – and that might be useful
News
Physics
Is consciousness more fundamental to reality than quantum physics?
Features
Technology
Humanoid robots may be about to break the 100-metre sprint record
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Is consciousness more fundamental to reality than quantum physics?
2
100-year-old assumption about the universe may soon be overturned
3
Coral reefs on a remote archipelago shrugged off a massive heatwave
4
We may finally have a cure for many different autoimmune conditions
5
Why the keto diet could be a revolutionary way to treat mental illness
6
How I pay almost nothing to power my house and electric car
7
Humanoid robots may be about to break the 100-metre sprint record
8
The bombshell results that demand a new theory of the universe
9
How autoimmune conditions can unexpectedly drive mental illness
10
Brushing your teeth in hospital could prevent catching a bad infection
