A helmet used by French soldiers in World War I provided better protection from overhead blasts than a modern
American model, according to a US university study.
Biomedical engineers from North Carolina's Duke University tested the performance of several models of World War I helmet and the US Advanced Combat Helmet by subjecting them to shock waves.
"While we found that all helmets provided a substantial amount of protection against blast, we were surprised to find that the 100-year-old helmets performed just as well as modern ones," said study author Joost Op 't Eynde.