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How rollercoasters affect your body - Brian D. Avery

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TEDEd Animation

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In 1895, crowds flooded Coney Island to see America’s first-ever looping coaster: the Flip Flap Railway. But its thrilling flip caused cases of severe whiplash, neck injury and even ejections. Today, coasters can pull off far more exciting tricks and do it safely. Brian D. Avery investigates what rollercoasters are doing to your body and how they’ve managed to get scarier and safer at the same time.

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Additional Resources for you to Explore


Check out this TED-Ed Feature on the physics of roller coasters.

For more info about the history of roller coasters, check out the American Coaster Enthusiasts’ website or this page from How Stuff Works.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has a lot of content about the amusement industry.

Take a look at the educator’s journal article on insight into amusement park ride and device safety in the United States.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Brian D. Avery
  • Director John R. Dilworth
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Sound Designer William Hohauser
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Francisco Diez

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