- The Carboniferous (/ˌkɑːrbəˈnɪfərəs/ KAR-bə-NIF-ər-əs) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period 358.9 million years ago (mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, 298.9 mya. In North America, the Carboniferous is often treated as two separate geological periods, the earlier Mississippian and the later Pennsylvanian.
- Reverse engineering the 59-pound printer onboard the Space Shuttle (righto.com)
The Space Shuttle contained a bulky printer so the astronauts could receive procedures, mission plans, weather reports, crew activity plans, and other documents. Needed for the first Shuttle launch in 1981, this printer was designed in just 7 months, built around an Army communications terminal. Unlike modern printers, the Shuttle’s printer contains a spinning metal drum with raised characters, allowing it to rapidly print a line at a time.