While roller-skating technology has been successfully spiced up over the years (see Rollerblades and those funky off-road skates with the big wheels), this gem from PopSci´s September 1939 issue illustrates an innovation that didn´t quite catch on. A night at the rink may indeed have been hard on the lower back, even before roller-disco. But this third-skate seat extension (hockey stick not included) probably sent more people to the chiropractor than the â€Jungle Boogie.â€
138 years of Popular Science at your fingertips.
Each issue has been completely reimagined for your iPad. See our amazing new vision for magazines that goes far beyond the printed page
Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone or Android phone with full articles, images and offline viewing
Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed
Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?