Paradise in Peril

This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaTZyYjBheXUxbi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Paradise in Peril [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvem9jOTIxZXZjNS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaWc1eGI1MWNwaC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdGFkOGVjemZ0dC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaXgwMGVwaTl6by8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) GlobalPost is an exclusive benefit for subscribers of The Charlotte Observer The Largest Daily Newsletter Devoted to World News Paradise in Peril THE WORLD TODAY — Monday, November 4, 2024 ~/AASU4wA~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~~ Paradise in Peril Paradise in Peril Need to Know Paradise in Peril [Costa Rica](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZWFnMG1kdnd6ay8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The illustrious Hilton Waldorf Astoria brand is planning to open a 188-room hotel in Costa Rica in March. The property, the latest to join the company’s portfolio of 34 luxury hotels around the world, will include six restaurants, multilevel pools, a “movement studio”and a spa, Travel Weekly [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvc3J1dDdpdHRsei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Stories of Costa Rica’s pacifism – or the success of the government junta to eliminate the military as a political force in the country, as Americas Quarterly [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMXZ2YzdjeHdqcy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) – as well as its pristine jungle, beaches, ecotourism, and [Pura Vida](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaDQ1cm96YzZxZS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) (pure life) lifestyle concept are now enticing sufficient visitors to the Central American country to merit a new Waldorf Astoria. Around 2.7 million tourists visited Costa Rica last year, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveDNqbTFtZWg5dC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Cronkite News. As the tourists flood into Costa Rica, however, the country is also wrestling with a mammoth crime problem that threatens that sector. “We are going to shoot at the Legislative Assembly with AR-15s, and we will kill you in your office,” read a threatening letter that Costa Rican opposition lawmaker Andrea Álvarez recently received, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYW85djZzMzE0YS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to Spanish newspaper El País. “We will storm Congress to unleash gunfire; there are 50 of us, and we will get rid of Sofía Guillén and those from the National Liberation Party and Broad Front.” Álvarez belongs to the National Liberation Party. Sofía Guillén leads the Broad Front, a small leftist party. Both have accused President Rodrigo Chaves of stoking violence and crime in the country. Chaves has presided over the small nation, with its strategic location and long coastline, as it has surpassed Mexico to become the biggest transshipment point for cocaine bound for the US and Europe. Murders in the country have escalated in the same period, soaring to around 900 last year, a 53 percent increase compared with 2020. “There used to be a limit here, people weren’t killed indiscriminately,” Costa Rican Public Security Minister Mario Zamora Cordero [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMnU5b2dydW82eC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) the New York Times. “What we are witnessing, we have never seen before. It’s the Mexicanization of violence, to provoke terror and panic.” Economic conditions have aided and abetted this shift. Despite the success of the tourism industry, [inequality](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb29wdDI2OGZhMC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) remains high. In 2022, inflation in Costa Rica reached more than 12 percent. Living costs for the typical family increased almost 60 percent, fueled by higher food and transportation expenses. Meanwhile, the price of cocaine has halved, fueling addiction. The Costa Rican Times’ headline [described](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbXd4aTRkazNnNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) the situation as “Paradise in Peril.” “Costa Rica, long celebrated for its stunning beaches, lush jungles, and ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle, is facing a growing crisis that threatens the nation’s peace and reputation as a tourist paradise,” the newspaper wrote, describing the “skyrocketing” crime rates fueled by drug trafficking, gang violence, and migration pressures. “As Costa Rica grapples with these issues, questions about its future as a safe destination for visitors and investors loom large.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaDVobWU1ZWhyeS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Paradise in Peril ~/AASU4wA~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~~ The World Briefly Too Little, Too Late Too Little, Too Late [Botswana](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbDY0ZTd3bmFnei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Botswana’s opposition party won a shock victory in the Oct. 30 parliamentary elections, a win that dislodges the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) after almost six decades in power as voters rejected its economic policies for the diamond-rich southern African nation, the Associated Press [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdWxmemNxbnpsdS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) over the weekend. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) party won 35 seats in parliament, surpassing the 31-seat threshold needed to hold a majority, according to results released Friday. Chief Justice Terence Rannowane announced the results, adding that UDC candidate Duma Boko will become the country’s next president. Meanwhile, Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat after his BDP came in fourth place, winning about five seats in the legislature, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcHkxM211OHRrdC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the BBC. Masisi said he “will respectfully step aside and participate in a smooth transition process.” In Botswana, general elections decide the makeup of its parliament and lawmakers afterward choose the president. The party with a majority usually picks a candidate as president. The outcome underscored voters’ rejection of the BDP, which had ruled Botswana since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Under the governing party, Botswana had seen dramatic change and an increase in the standard of living as a result of its vast diamond resources – the second-biggest reserves in the world after Russia. But the southern African nation has been struggling with poor economic growth and high unemployment as it saw a sharp decline in revenue from the gemstones this year amid a downturn in global demand for diamonds. Diamonds comprise more than 80 percent of Botswana’s exports and a quarter of its gross domestic product, making the precious stones the main issue for the campaign. The BDP had promised to diversify its economy, but its campaign message did not resonate with many voters. In contrast, the UDC pledged to adopt a new economic strategy that includes creating up to 500,000 jobs within five years. Analysts noted that the BDP’s surprising loss followed another major shift in the region: In neighboring South Africa, the African National Congress lost its 30-year majority in the May parliamentary elections, forcing it to enter a coalition government for the first time in the country’s history. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNmV1NnU5YjZqcy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) A Country Held Hostage A Country Held Hostage [Bolivia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcDRycmExdmJuOS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) An armed group took control of a military outpost in central Bolivia and held at least 200 soldiers hostage, Bolivian officials announced over the weekend, as tensions continued to escalate between supporters of former President Evo Morales and the government after weeks of tension and violence, CNN [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvc3lnb3o4dnliZi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). On Friday, the Bolivian military said an “irregular armed group” had kidnapped the soldiers and seized weapons and ammunition from a base in the city of Cochabamba. President Luis Arce alleged that the group was “affiliated” with Morales, but did not provide any evidence. The incident comes as supporters of Morales – the country’s first Indigenous leader – have been blocking major highways in an effort to prevent the former president’s arrest. Bolivian authorities have accused Morales of statutory rape and human trafficking over his alleged relationship with a 15-year-old girl in 2015, [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMml0Y3gyNHZsMC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Agence France-Presse. Morales has rejected the allegations and his supporters have called for an end to his “judicial persecution.” The blockades have led to food and fuel shortages in some cities. Morales and his former ally Arce have been at loggerheads after Morales announced that he planned to challenge the incumbent for the nomination of the left-wing Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party in next year’s elections. Even so, questions remain over whether he will be able to participate in those elections because a court barred him from running last year. Morales governed Bolivia between 2006 and 2019. He resigned shortly after he was declared the winner of the 2019 elections following mass demonstrations due to allegations of electoral fraud. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNHRsbjU4MTBoOS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Paradise in Peril Paradise in Peril ~/AASU4wA~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~~ Flooded With Rage Flooded With Rage [Spain](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdWY4anZ2dnRwaS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Thousands of angry residents protested Sunday in the eastern Spanish town of Paiporta as King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the area to survey damage from flash floods that killed more than 200 people last week, NBC News [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvY2YxaXVzcm5pei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Frustrated locals [threw mud](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsva3hqNWtpN255aS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) and objects at the king’s entourage, chanting “Murderers!” and demanding accountability for what they saw as negligence in the days leading up to the floods. They blamed the government for failing to properly warn residents and respond in time. Queen Letizia, visibly distressed, was spattered in mud as she engaged with residents. Despite the tense atmosphere, the king continued to speak with survivors, offering his condolences and listening to their concerns. The unprecedented flash floods swept through the Valencia region last Tuesday, delivering 20 months’ worth of rain in just eight hours. The situation overwhelmed emergency response systems and caught many residents off guard. Floodwaters inundated streets and lower levels of buildings, destroying homes, washing away cars, and submerging towns in mud. Officials said around 217 people have died, with more than 60 deaths occurring in heavily affected Paiporta. Dozens are still unaccounted for and around 3,000 households remain without power. The flooding prompted Spain’s largest-ever peacetime deployment of security forces, with thousands of troops and police joining in rescue and recovery operations over the weekend. On Saturday, Sánchez acknowledged that the government response had been inadequate, pledging an additional 5,000 troops to assist ongoing efforts and vowing to investigate any lapses in the initial emergency alerts and coordination. Climate scientists attributed such extreme weather to climate change, with meteorologists pointing to a warmer Mediterranean as a significant factor in intensifying torrential rains and subsequent flooding, Reuters [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdnE0aGdyZmxidC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdXJ5NGhwMmlmdy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Weekly Quiz ~/AASU4wA~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~~ Wheels on the Cart … Discoveries Wheels on the Cart … Historians have long debated where and when the wheel first appeared, with theories ranging from [Mesopotamia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbDhrNWllNWx6Ny8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to northern Turkey around 3800 BCE. Now, a fresh theory has archaeologists and engineers looking to an unexpected location: The copper mines of the Carpathian Mountains, a mountain range across Central and Southeastern Europe. In their [study](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvc2l1M25ib3hpdS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~), researchers suggested that copper miners around 3900 BCE may have pioneered the world’s first wheel in an effort to transport the ore – and, in turn, fundamentally impacted human progress, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcDBuenZ6aWF4Yy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the Independent. They explained that workers at the time had to move heavy loads with traditional methods, such as “free rollers” which were wooden cylinders that required frequent resetting. This was just too cumbersome for confined mine spaces, which prompted them to look for other solutions, namely the wheel. To test this theory, the team developed a computer model tracing the wheel’s evolution from simple rollers to a fully functional axle and wheel system. Their model proposed three stages of innovation that might have emerged as miners adapted to the mining environment. “The environment where the original wheel developers were operating contained certain unique features that encouraged a shift toward roller-based transport,” co-author Kai James [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRpCy3OP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMzlkNzNhMHYyei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD01aXJyNXdmMnNnVwNzcGNCCmcVzqgoZxOfVGBSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Live Science. The first innovation, grooved rollers, let the ancient workers move boxes back and forth without resetting the rollers, enabling wider carts to enter the mine. Next, they developed a wheelset with wheels fixed to an axle, raising the cart’s clearance to navigate rocks and debris in the mineshaft. Finally, about 500 years later, they introduced independently rotating wheels, which added improved maneuverability to the design. Archeological finds in the Carpathian region also support the theory, the authors noted. Excavations in the area have uncovered 150 small clay models of four-wheeled wagons, dating to around 3600 BCE. These miniature artifacts – which were used as drinking mugs – are the earliest known representations of wheeled transport, potentially inspired by the carts used to carry ore. While the study may explain how the wheel was invented in Eastern Europe and its potential spread, James and his colleagues believe there is more to the story. “I think it’s still possible that multiple civilizations independently discovered the wheel on their own,” he added. 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