It seems that every summer, a theme park somewhere in the world opens a new roller coaster that is taller, faster, longer, or has more loops than all the others that have gone before.

For example, the Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey rises to a height o-9m (456 ft.) and drops 127m. It’s the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world. While riders do not go upside down at any point, it’s plenty scary nonetheless. It reaches speeds of 128 mph and that great speed is achieved from standing still in only 3.5 seconds.It does a 90 degree twist to the left at the top of the-9m tower before plunging nearly vertically.

The Furius Baco at PortAventura in Spain “only” goes to a height of–m, but it is almost a kilometre long. It is the fastest coaster in Europe, and its claim to fame is the unusual seating design. Riders reach speeds of 84 mph and go through one inversion. A center console of sorts clings to the track, while the seats - two on the left and two on the right - are hanging out over the rails on either side. In other words, riders feel as if they’ve come off the tracks.

The longest roller coaster in the world is the Steel Dragon at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan. The ride lasts four long minutes, which is part of its “fear factor.” Rising to a height of 97m, with a 93m drop, it is over 2 km long and reaches speeds of up to 95 mph.

In Australia, the Tower of Terror at Dreamworld in Queensland reaches speeds of 100 mph. Riders are blasted up the track at 100 mph, and then they come back down on the same track. Is it technically a roller coaster? Some debate whether it is, but with 4.5 g’s at a 90 degree angle is pretty scary. It is the tallest and fastest coaster in the southern hemisphere.

What is next for the roller coaster world? It depends on where the imaginations of coaster designers take them.

Andrea Smith is a freelance writer and Theme Park enthusiast from the UK. She writes for Techy Zone about roller coasters, thrill rides and theme parks in the UK.

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