[](http://canadiandesignresource.ca/fashion/inuit-snow-goggles/attachment/inuit-snow-goggles/) The intense sunlight of the springtime in the Arctic, when reflected from the snow-covered ground, causes a temporary condition called snow blindness. To prevent this, the Inuit made snow goggles. These were fashioned to fit the contours of the face snugly to allow light to enter only through narrow viewing slits that restricted the field of vision and reduced the amount of light that reached the optic nerve. Earlier (dating back centuries) goggles were made of bone in the wood scarce Arctic, but later, when wood became more plentiful, wooden goggles began to appear. This simple but ingenous invention is superior to modern high-tech sunglasses. [Via our friends at the Vancouver Maritime Museum.](http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com)