The Astonishing MAP discovery - that was an accident.

Welcome to this weeks short and moderately quirky video.
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Credit:
Snowed Mountain: Richard Murray
Schiehallion viewed across the River Tay: Andrew2606
Mountain profile view with contours: Romary
All other images either our own or Public Domain
Maps: Google Maps
Maps: OS Maps. Media License.
Stock Footage: Storyblocks
Music: Storyblocks
Music: Epidemicsound

[@jackpayne4658]

These are the little-known mountains of Berkshire - 'The Himalayas of the Home Counties'. Very few visitors have explored them, because they are usually concealed by a low hedge. But the actual Schiehallion is wonderful, because it can be climbed without ropes or crampons or any technical skills - you just keep walking and clambering until you reach the top. Hard work, but well worth the effort.

[@jacksons1010]

It can be done without employing sherpas? Intrigued! We shall endeavor to form an expedition and establish base camp at once. 😊

[@Summers-lad]

You might need an ice axe and crampons in winter though. In good weather it's a straightforward climb.

[@georgesheffield1580]

?

[@eekee6034]

I'm one of those geeks who likes my fiction silly. (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a good example.) Seeing the phrase "concealed by a low hedge" appied to something called "the Himalayas" has made my day!

[@jackpayne4658]

@@Summers-lad You have a fair point. I was there in June, as opposed to Winter (as Billy Connolly would say.)

[@hainanbob6144]

Well, I remember learning all about contour lines a long time ago, a very long time ago, but no one taught me the history until today. Thank you Paul and Rebecca!

[@brianwillson9567]

It’s so difficult to decide which is the more entertaining. The information you convey, or the ‘Paul and Rebecca double act’. Whichever, your videos are always worth a look.

[@jameshatton4405]

Don't you just love a complementary couple as roll models? 😎

[@GiacomodellaSvezia]

I've always found contour lines a very elegant and practical solution, but never really gave a thought to the invention. After seeing one map with them, I almost immediately made an imaginary one. They've made me love geographic maps more than any maps without them. I was hooked for life. To thank you, I'll make a donation for that trip.

[@pwhitewick]

🙏🙏

[@cf453]

"Who's on Mount Rushmore?" "Three surveyors and some other guy." (You'll never guess what I do for a living.) Wonderful work, you two. Thank you.

[@mailleweaver]

Are you a librarian? Or a nude model?

[@TrevsTravelsByNarrowboat]

The biggest question this video has to be, why did Rebecca have a staple gun in her bag at the top of Beacon Hill?

[@stephenpegum9776]

In case she was attacked by a swarm of bees ?!! 😅😅

[@craigm350]

You've heard of extreme ironing, well I have my suspicions that Rebecca is performing extreme upholstery!

[@2adamast]

Setting up lost my cat leaflets. Otherwise they would have used the cat.

[@Johnnyg53]

When I was at school / college I hated history, not just the content but the delivery that was so dry. Since I have been watching all your vlogs I appreciate the subject so much more. In addition having done numerous outdoor courses etc I now the background of contours. So thank you

[@charlesachurch7265]

Keep it going.These presentations are amazing. Thanks xxx

[@davefrench3608]

Fascinating vid you two. Contour lines were vital to canal and railway building to avoid major civil engineering works. There we are, back to canals again.

[@cooper68ns]

A staple gun??? Loved that random bit. Oh you two play well together. Loved it.

[@zGJungle]

As a mountain biker, and map nerd, I spend a lot of time looking at contour lines for places to ride my bike. This is a really intersting bit of knowledge that I probably would of never heard of, thank you.

[@willdsm08]

When Rebecca was asked if she had a weight, she really should have looked at her wrist and said "How long". These write themselves you know, and you should always take advantage.

[@Deckzwabber]

Very interesting bit of cartographical history

[@Jgn1skaane]

What a treat! Rebecca, Paul, a nod towards calculus, gravity, and a staple gun. What if Newton had a staple gun 🤔

[@alexwallace9832]

Sir Isaac Newton would have been able Mechanically pin pieces of paper together and amaze his friends. PERHAPS Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 👍

[@PeterWasted]

If Newton had a staple gun he could have used the side of a giant's head as a notice board.

[@pcka12]

Newton had nails & doubtless staples (of the kind found on doors), so if he was just able to lay hands on a 'kinetic modification device'!

[@johng9399]

@@pcka12 Also known as a linear impact driver! But just imagine if he had had Paul and Rebecca as assistants!

[@abarratt8869]

He came close to inventing the staple gun. He invented the cat flap. There is a similarity. If the thing that is supposed to go through them gets stuck, there's a nasty sharp thing to dislodge (with difficulty) before it can be used again...

[@18robsmith]

Rebecca of the many expressions - particularly when Paul is talking....

[@markiangooley]

Expressive is good. Useful for acting, especially.

[@AmySoyka]

Rebecca's gurning is what makes these videos.

[@catherinebutler4819]

He really put contour lines on the map!

[@Hairnicks]

Fabulous, I've always loved looking at contour lines and drawing the elevations. Nerdy I know, but that's the love of maps.

[@raphaelnikolaus0486]

Funny coincidence: I was in Rome for the last four days (hence why I am only watching this today), and when I walked from the centre (Piazza di Spagna / Fontana di Trevi) to Termini station, I felt how hilly Rome was. A fact that I had forgotten. Because I am pretty well with orientating myself, with and without the help of maps, and therefore mostly check the general geography beforehand. On a regular map, such as Google Maps, that is. And that doesn't show contour lines. Which I remembered were a thing. And which I actually had learned about back in school. But as I never used such maps, I forgot how to read those. Especially as contour lines aren't included in regular maps. I assume, I am not the only one, who unlearned how to read contour line maps. So I wanted to ask - or suggest to - you, Paul and Rebecca, whether you could do a video about contour lines and how to read them. (Funnily enough, you have just published this video on how the contour lines came about. However, I still wouldn't consider this a "How to read a contour lines map" video imho. Not sure, whether you'd agree or not.)

[@squeezyjohn1]

Can I just say that the non-human edited automatic subtitles are absolutely hilarious! Bravo! I have been poor.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Very interesting. Great fun. Rebecca is comical with her expressions. But seriously very informative. Thank you.

[@robinhayhurst5943]

What a disastrous game of Whitewick bingo that was! No mention of Roman roads, railways, canals... portals...and no doodbledoos!

[@pwhitewick]

Awks

[@roystonvasey5471]

You two are brave peeps wearing shortened leg garments, lots of ticks this year.

[@pwhitewick]

Always check for ticks after.

[@rileyuktv6426]

Is no one going to mention the gravitational effect and natural display of contours shown by the Hillfort?

[@pwhitewick]

Good call

[@richardhart7652]

I can't figure out what is more fascinating your video of the discovery of contour lines or what ever Rebecca has in her knapsack 😊

[@BrokenBackMountains]

Schiehallion, the fairy hill. The only time I've seen a Brocken spectre was on Schiehallion.

[@ethelmini]

Pity Rebecca wasn't with you. You could've borrowed her stapler to fix it back together

[@jameshatton4405]

Brocken not Broken? Brocken the Soviet spy station?

[@BrokenBackMountains]

@@jameshatton4405 Brocken, as in the Harz mountains. No doubt there will be a play on Hart now. Oh deer.

[@jameshatton4405]

@@BrokenBackMountainsoh really? Very ironic, Brocken Soviet spy station was on top of a hill also?

[@BrokenBackMountains]

@@jameshatton4405 Brocken, the highest peak in the Harts/Harz mountains was where it was first documented. A Brocken spectre is where your shadow gets projected in the mist with a halo round it. Usually bigger than usual and very impressive. And, yes, the Soviets had a listening station on the Brocken and NATO also had one in the Harz on the Stoberhai.

[@thomasdieckmann5711]

Interesting topic! Thanks

[@GrahamScarr]

If the plumb line tilted towards the mountain, how did they measure the angle against the plumb line that didn't?

[@CharlesStearman]

They used astronomical observations to determine the point directly overhead, which gave them a true vertical.

[@GrahamScarr]

@@CharlesStearman Ho, Ho...

[@cerealport2726]

Modern gravity meters are portable, and relatively robust bits of kit (airborne surveys are also done). The principle involves measuring acceleration, and the common unit is the "gal" (after Galileo), 1 of which which is equivalent to 1 centimetre per second squared. Variations around the place, (including in Berkshire, I'm sure!) are measured in milligal, and occasionally, microgal.

[@abarratt8869]

And hence the reason why precision drift-less inertial positioning / navigation won't work. There are some chip-scale sensors being worked on to give mobile phones inertial nav, but given the fact that we've built a load of gravity field generators everywhere (ie buildings) such sensors are doomed to drift no matter how good they are.

[@Nanoamps]

These two are quite fun and adorable to watch. Great communication skills and very educational. Thanks for this!

[@buidseach]

You should have gone to Schiehallion, It's one of the easiest Munros to climb and it's in a beautiful location, I should know, It's on my Ancestors lands :)

[@davie941]

comedy gold lol , really well done and thank you Paul and Rebecca 😊😍

[@suerichmond8919]

Today I learned why you take a staple gun into a field!

[@antonioveritas]

Wow! One of your best videos ever! Very entertaining and informative. Id never even heard of that guy Neville before! Could we have more videos like this one if possible, please? Great to see Rebecca again as well, you work well as a team! 👍🙂

[@Blade_Daddy]

Loving Rebecca's faces! 😊

[@EeezyNoow]

So expressive aren't they?

[@charliechester2067]

Thank you Paul and Rebecca, that was bloody interesting, short and sweet. I like your longer vids too, obviously.

[@mikeakhurst1855]

Always wondered who “started” contour lines on maps. Thanks both 😊

[@chrisstephens6673]

If I were to be cynical, who me?, the modern revisionists of history will tell you an African American or Caribbean got there first! 😂

[@philhawley1219]

Contour lines beneath the sea are called soundings.

[@jacksons1010]

@@chrisstephens6673Oh, dear…are we feeling threatened by historical realities? Seems so, as nobody is making up history to favor those groups you surely selected at random and without any underlying bigotry.

[@chrisstephens6673]

@@jacksons1010 indeed not, just upset that history has to be fabricated in the aim of inclusively.

[@antonioveritas]

​@@chrisstephens6673To be fair, most of the history we learned in school was heavily biased by colonial thinking, racism and sexism, and empire building mentalities, so it's good to learn the bigger picture about the women and coloured people who worked behind the scenes and previously received no credit or recognition for their work. 🙏

[@smallsleepyrascalcat]

OK, that was very interesting... and I now have the urge to go to that hill and clean that grave...

[@pwhitewick]

I think he helped build the railway that was once at the foot of that hill

[@PeterWasted]

I didn't know that, but I do now! I know Beacon Hill quite well though. Even when I was a lot fitter, that climb was a challenge. I think the fitter me used to go up a lot faster...

[@rogerwhittle2078]

Now that, I didn't know. Thank you guys, I had always taken contour lines for granted, never once considering how they came about and who did it. Great bit of research. The history of the inestimable OS map is not only longer than most people think, but as fascinating as a good whodunnit.

[@michaelmiller641]

Fascinating! thankyou Paul and Rebecca

[@EldritchGod666]

Great job guys! Reminds me a bit of the old James Burke TV series Connections. 😁

[@martinmarsola6477]

An interesting tour today. A good explanation of the views shown. Very interesting to view! Thank you Paul and Rebecca! See you on the next! ❤❤😊😊

[@tomlee812]

Really liking this new format. You have really developed an entertaining as well as informative style. Top marks for this one (although don't test me on any of the mathematics and calculations!).

[@pwhitewick]

Likewise!

[@Alan_UK]

Very interesting. I once helped my son to do a reverse. From the contour lines we build a hill! It was a school project and I photocopied a large scale map multiple times and then cut out each contour and glued to cardboard. Stating with a flat plan, each layer was then glued in turn. Of course the vertical scale was different to the horizontal scale. The location was Vernham Dean in North West Hampshire, situated in the middle of a steep valley of the North Wessex Downs. It's not far from the Roman Road called Chute Causeway and the tripoint of Hampshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire. The highest hill being Haydown Hill aka Fosbury Hill with its iron age fort. PS In the video the view from the hill at 3:19 looks like one can see Highclere Castle, used for many historical films including Downton Abbey.

[@andypage9132]

Yes you can, surprisingly clearly. The view from Beacon hill, or at least, that particular Beacon hill, is amazing.

[@HotelPapa100]

I missed one thing in this story. As they measured deviations of plumb lines, what was the reference they compared it to? I assume they used optical means (theodolites) to compare directions over a large distance?

[@pwhitewick]

Perhaps calibrated in Norfolk

[@efnissien]

Yup, the days of the polymath where an astronomer/mathematician/physicist is also an Architect. Now we're so into 'specialization' the guy that takes my order at a coffee shop isn't allowed to make coffee because he's not a 'Barista'.

[@JRattheranch]

Fascinating both! 😊

[@derekp2674]

Clever stuff, thanks very much.

[@dianespears6057]

Excellent. Very very interesting and informative. Thank you both very much.

[@dperreno]

My question is: what did they measure the plumb line deviation against? E.g. what was their vertical reference? Usually, you would use - a plumb line.

[@cliffboulton8763]

Very interesting. I learned a lot. Thanks.

[@marcusd2380]

Another good one and I learned a lot from this one very interesting

[@RossMaynardProcessExcellence]

Who takes a staple gun on a walk? Very interesting video. I've been up Schiehallion. Nice mountain.

[@pwhitewick]

You don't????

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Thank's for the lesson! Perhaps this might suggest a video on contour lines on OS maps? There must be a quicker way.

[@owenmayes2128]

Beacon Hill, Burghclere, Hampshire, is that the part of Berkshire they mean?

[@tardismole]

Never mind the science/history lesson, Rebecca carries a staple gun in her bag. Kudos for this lady. [Insert standing ovation music here].

[@pwhitewick]

Tis a deep bag

[@tardismole]

@@pwhitewick LOL

[@alexfalconer7551]

Very interesting, I didn't know that, something I just didn't think about. Thanks

[@simonrichards6739]

“I’ve got a staple gun”! Pa ha ha. I’ve just spat my coffee out!

[@oneteaminbristolbcfc]

Thanks for this

[@watcher24601]

It's amazing that they could come up with a method to measure the density of the planet at a time when they couldn't work out that large birds can fly a long way. (Spoiler: barnacle geese don't hibernate under water)

[@mailleweaver]

The question this brings to my mind is, "How do you determine in the field what straight up is without using gravity?" Since this experiment was intended to test gravitational effects, gravity could not be the frame of reference. My best guess would be to use a clock, the sun, and a protractor. You'd have to know what clock time is solar noon at that longitude and on what date the sun is straight overhead at solar noon at that latitude. You could then use that to determine what straight up is in relation to the rotation of the Earth and your position on it by measuring the angle of shadows with adjustments according to the current clock time/date. It seems a very difficult thing to do, considering how fuzzy shadows are.

[@KatePhiz]

You are still getting better and better

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Kate

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice short entertaining video. Some lovely mountains in Berkshire! 😂

[@philiptownsend4026]

Who knew?

[@user-md9yv7jx2c]

Great to hear about how these things got started.

[@jamesjoyce5611]

Paul, I have enjoyed following, I really hope you would teach and inspired youngsters. maybe you do, great deliveries

[@Rail_Focus]

Fascinating stuff

[@lindamccaughey6669]

That was incredibly interesting thanks. Thanks for share. Please take care

[@NDKY67]

Fascinating stuff, I feel a little smarter after that😊

[@andrewclayton4181]

I've never grasped how they measured the deflection of the plumb line. Any instrument used to record it would also be affected by the same attraction.

[@pwhitewick]

I guess but not if the instrument was fixed to the ground at a perfect level.

[@CharlesStearman]

@@pwhitewick They used astronomical observations to determine the point directly overhead, which gave them a true vertical.

[@murk1e]

@@pwhitewickthat doesn’t work, as “perfect level” is defined as perpendicular to a plug - for many practical purposes. No, what they used was astronomical references. The angles are incredibly tiny, and the errors are therefore significant. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth doing, as before that, there was no information!

[@HDEFMAN1]

Fascinating !

[@dilwyn1]

Thanks both ... That was a fascinating insight to something we just take for granted

[@garyevans5605]

U guys are awesome thanks

[@KravKernow]

That was really fascinating. But I can't be the only person wondering why Rebecca takes a staple gun on hikes.

[@pwhitewick]

I'm too scared to ask

[@johnwitte551]

@@pwhitewick

[@TheEulerID]

Newton saying that it would be impossible to measure the gravitational effect of mountains reminds me that Einstein thought that gravitational waves could never be detected because the effect was so weak. So these two titans of gravitational theory were proven wrong by human ingenuity...

[@pwhitewick]

Love it

[@oldsambo]

A great video and some great scientific history

[@ianjenkinson3585]

Contours allowed the concept of a '300-foot contour canal' from Newcastle (and Wales) to London en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Contour_Canal Not built of course but what an idea !

[@pwhitewick]

Oh yes... we did a video on that a few years back.

[@kimphilley621]

Interesting, thanks

[@jessicamorgan3073]

Thanks Rebecca, Paul, and Skylarks!

[@eze8970]

TY 🙏🙏

[@michaelball68]

Thanks

[@Astroponicist]

very cool that might make a cool movie.

[@jazzthing1410]

you two are so good

[@douglaspeale9727]

I want to know how they measured the difference of the plumb line from vertical. Usually the plumb line IS the vertical reference.

[@murk1e]

That was a major issue. Ultimately, astronomy.

[@pwhitewick]

Would they not have calibrated in somewhere like... Norfolk?

[@Ensign_Redshirt]

Are you now in hiding from Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones? excellent video btw!

[@Jimyjames73]

Lovely Views 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@jaymacpherson8167]

As a career user of contour lines, bravo! I do have a question…or is it three…four? What is the reference to know if a plumb line is leaning? A level, straight staff, and a tape measure? We’re the tools calibrated to the standards hoarded across the Channel? Did you have to best the Black Knight at any point on your crossings of streams to reach Beacon Hill? Ah, wait. Scratch that above…just the rantings of a genetic Scot, displaced across the pond, lost among the untold thousands of contour lines which make my favorite wrapping paper. Carry on!

[@CharlesStearman]

I believe astronomical observations were used to determine the exact position of the zenith and hence a true vertical at each observation point.

[@ray_wilton]

I loved the video and the science, very educational. Just wanna check - I'm pretty sure that Beacon Hill is in Hampshire.

[@ethelmini]

Expect there are loads of 'em. 1 wouldn't be much use for relaying signals.

[@callanist]

Beacon Hill defo is in Hants according to my OS map! Still an excellent watch though :)

[@MrGreatplum]

At 4:46, did they also come up with designs for the first roller coaster? 😜 I quite often take a staple gun with me when out, but I’m a planning officer and we need some way of attaching site notices to things!

[@carldickson2603]

And NOW it's a sunday . . . :)

[@TheCountrysideChannel]

Lovely jubbly

[@martinkeene7877]

"Insert revelation music" and just at that split second an advert for dog food came on. Spoilt the moment!

[@tednruth453]

Wind, rain..in Scotland? Surely not!

[@QALibrary]

A very interesting video

[@jacktribble5253]

Sure would have been nice to have a laser level and some GPR. This is a lot of indexing minutiae. Kudos to the crazy bastards that pulled it off.

[@Nick-13]

Assume this is slightly different to weighing the earth - as local born (local to me - Monton, Manchester) John Henry Poynting's blue plaque states

[@bencollyer2296]

Really cool Standing on the shoulders of giants

[@ralfhtg1056]

Meters cubed? Sounds strange. Cubicmeters is what we say in Germany.

[@pwhitewick]

We probably say it here too... I'm not thw brightest

[@MsLancer99]

Yes food for thought

[@graypd]

Beacon Hill. Just a few signs on that kissing gate. A world of 'do nots'.

[@lastofthebrownies]

Enjoyable bit of maths there too!

[@paullinnitt5450]

Really informative as always. I have always wondered how they measured the angle of the plumb line? What was their datum?

[@ethelmini]

Spirit level or, better, a U tube? The plumbline decouples the gravity of the mountain from the combined gravity of the planet, which it opposes with the internal tensile force of string.

[@CharlesStearman]

They used astronomical observations to determine the point directly overhead, which gave them a true vertical.

[@paullinnitt5450]

Cheers. I think a spirit level relies on gravity in the same way as a plumb line. Astronomical observations seem the most likely.