Chapter 20 Increasing Icebergs
In addition to the matter of cold-resistant materials, Purficott also discussed the issue of airships with these professors.
The models and related design drawings she brought really opened the eyes of these old professors. Although it is not impossible for them to design and manufacture such an airship, no one has ever taken this approach. Thought about it.
"Compared to traditional sailing boats or new-style ships, airships are a means of transportation more suitable for Arctic exploration." Purficott changed his rhetoric at this time, although there is no difference in essence. , but considering the reason of confidentiality, she still tried her best to talk about the Arctic scientific expedition.
But this statement was highly recognized by the professors of the Alchemy Department. Everyone nodded and said: "Flying vehicles are indeed more suitable than water vehicles, both in terms of speed and safety. Far better! As long as you maintain a sufficient altitude, you don’t have to worry about hitting the iceberg.”
Hearing someone mention icebergs, Purficott felt a little curious, so he asked more questions.
“Last month, a White Star cruise ship bound for the New World encountered an iceberg on the Northern Ocean Route. There were more than 500 passengers on the ship, but only about 20 people survived.” A professor told Per Ficott gave a brief introduction.
Hearing the news, Purficott’s expression did not change much. After all, shipwrecks are still a common thing in this era.
Although human technology has made great progress compared to before the Industrial Revolution, the improvements in technology and productivity brought by the steam engine are not enough to allow humans to conquer nature.
In fact, even in the world after the third industrial revolution, humans have not conquered the world, although humans at that time had already set their sights on the sky and the universe.
What humans can do is still small compared to the majesty of nature.
While Purficott was lamenting the safety of trans-oceanic voyages, another professor on the side said: "This is already the fourth large-scale shipwreck this year, and they are all heading to the New World. The northern ocean routes have all encountered icebergs!
I seriously suspect that the increase in temperature caused by the abuse of steam engines has caused the melting of Arctic glaciers, resulting in an increase in ice floes and icebergs on the waterways! ”
Temperature rising? At first hearing this conclusion, Purficott almost cried out in surprise, because it was so ridiculous.
But then she realized that this was actually a very realistic inference.
Because this world is different from the world before Purficott traveled. Although this world with alchemy and other mysterious powers also invented the steam engine, their efficiency improvement of the steam engine is far better than the world before Purficott traveled. .
Because of this, the application of steam engines is wider and more popular than in the world before she traveled.
This also makes it difficult to feel the colder climate in cities in this era. It will only make people feel that it does not snow in winter, and the clothes they wear have become less and thinner, just like the climate It's like getting warmer.
But in fact, the ambient temperature has been declining. The reason why it feels like it doesn’t snow in winter and the winter in the city is warmer than before is that in addition to the heat brought by the widely used steam engines heating the city, there are also A very important factor is invisible to people of this era.
That is the urban heat island phenomenon.
With the development of the industrial revolution, the population of Longton City expanded rapidly, and the scale of the city continued to expand, which made the urban heat island effect become more and more obvious. This is just like the world before Perfection's time travel. Snowing in big cities in winter is already an extremely rare sight, and the sight of white snow everywhere is almost impossible to see.
Not only do sanitation workers clean up the snow in a timely manner, the snow itself also melts quickly.
But once you leave the city and live for a winter in the suburbs of the city, especially in the ravines, you will find that snow is quite common in winter, and the snow sometimes even lasts throughout the winter.
In addition, the world is now in the steam age of the first industrial revolution. The incompletely burned soot ejected from the steam engines has almost dyed the entire city black, and the well-known black More endothermic.
So in the city of Longton, it’s normal to feel like winter is getting warmer.
Perfect had no intention of arguing with others on this matter. She just kept the shipwreck and the increase in icebergs on the northern ocean route in mind.
“So the research and development of airships is even more necessary. Once it can be successfully developed and a large transport airship capable of carrying a large number of passengers is produced, it will be able to provide a safe and convenient air transportation method for the empire! "Perfect was acting a bit like a project manager who traveled to the world before and was trying to make a pie for her employees, but I have to say that her words were very tempting.
At least for these professors of the Alchemy Department, it is a very tempting thing.
“Everyone, the royal family is very interested in this airship project. If you can develop a large-scale transport airship that can be put into actual operation, the Royal Shipping Company will be willing to pay a generous sum for this. Satisfactory patent fees." Princess Anne naturally knew what she should say at this time, and she endorsed the picture painted by Perfectcott in just a few words.
In fact, Princess Anne’s words are not just empty talk. If a large-scale transport airship that can be mass-produced and has practical value can be developed, then whether it is transporting materials or personnel, it will be very important for the upcoming Disasters are a necessity.
The increase in shipwrecks on the northern ocean routes made Princess Anne clearly aware that the disaster described by Perfectcott was quietly approaching.
She does not think that the increase in icebergs is due to rising temperatures. On the contrary, it is due to falling temperatures that the number of icebergs is increasing.
Because the icebergs that may have broken into ice floes after leaving the Arctic Circle have not melted, this has caused an increase in the number of icebergs on the northern ocean routes, and has also led to frequent sea crashes.
This made Princess Anne feel urgent, and at the same time strengthened her determination to support Perfectcott.
After discussing some technical details with the professors of the Alchemy Department, Purfico and Princess Anne left the Alchemy Department together.
But they did not leave the school immediately, but turned around and went to the engineering department.
"After we have got the materials, we still need to get the structural design. I hope these engineers can be as easy to talk to as the alchemists." Perficott sighed with emotion. The success made her feel a little unreal.
“Don’t worry, those engineers are aware of current affairs. Don’t forget that we are now planning a ‘scientific expedition project’ sponsored by the royal family.” Princess Anne comforted Perfectcott.
(End of this chapter)