Versions of Maxim’s gun were ubiquitous on the Western Front when matched against outdated infantry tactics, their killing power was astonishing. Maxim was an outspoken and effective advocate for his weapon, and armies across Europe adopted some version of the Maxim in the years before World War I. The Maxim gun, developed around 1884, was a recoil-operated, belt-fed, water-cooled machine gun that fired more than 500 rounds per minute at an effective range of more than 2,000 yards (1,830 meters). Hiram Maxim was the first inventor to incorporate all of these innovations into a single weapon. Smokeless powder burned more cleanly and evenly than black powder, and gunsmiths were quick to realize the potential of utilizing a weapon’s recoil to increase its rate of fire. Misfires became less common with the introduction of the percussion cap and cartridge ammunition. Machine tools allowed for greater precision in gunsmithing. The 19th century saw a revolution in firearms technology. World War I: German infantrymen Imperial War Museum From rocks to rockets, the weapons of war have changed over time, but a few stand out as revolutionary for their killing power. In such cases, the drone operator might be on the other side of the world, and the act of killing appears to be as impersonal and unreal as a video game (that parallel breaks down when one examines the rates of PTSD among military drone operators, which are comparable to those of ground troops). Perhaps the apotheosis of this trend is the armed drone, an unmanned aerial vehicle that can loiter at high altitude for hours before firing a missile at its target. Since that time, weapons have been refined to maximize the killing potential of the wielder while minimizing the ability of one’s opponent to retaliate. Later in the Bronze Age, the sword made its first appearance. Maces, which were little more than rocks mounted on sticks, had questionable value as hunting tools, but they were superbly suited for smashing the bones and skulls of other humans. The earliest known purpose-built weapons in human history date to the Bronze Age. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.
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Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.
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