If you have been on a roller coaster, you'll remember the adrenaline rushing through your veins as you dashed down the track at lightening speed. 12 But, these fairground favorites actually have a long, colorful history that can be traced back to 15th century Russia. In some languages, the word "roller coaster" translates as "Russian mountain." That's because the first roller coasters were mountains. 13 Guides would take rides up as high as 24 meters, and then slide down with them on small sleds. By the 18th century, St. Petersburg had caught on to the trend. Around the city, the ice slides were lined with colorful lanterns, enabling rides to be taken at night. Next, the pastime arrived in France, where the roller coaster was adapted to consist of wheeled carriages that traveled over metal tracks laid on steep wood slopes. 14 In 1895, the first vertical loop was incorporated into "The Flip Flap" in Brooklyn. One prominent omission, though, was seatbelts. The first Golden Age of roller coasters, having spread to many countries, came to an end with the Great Depression. 15 Built to the hair-raising dimensions we are familiar with today, it gave rise to a second generation of gravity-defying amusement rides. Today, New Jersey's "Kingda Ka" is the tallest, fastest roller coaster on the planet; it accelerates to 128 mph in just 3.5 seconds! So, don't go off the tracks: buckle up, and get ready to scream!