Turlough wonders why a research facility on Frontios needs a block and tackle (TV: Frontios)
A block and tackle was, according to Turlough, a "simple enough invention" used for lifting "heavy" things. It was comprised of a rope, or tackle, a block that had pulleys through which the tackle was threaded, and a hook at the bottom of the block that was attached to whatever object needed to be lifted. When the tackle was pulled, the pulleys leveraged the strength of the person doing the pulling, and they were able to lift things that were much heavier than they could lift with their bare hands. Turlough, for instance, used a block and tackle to lift up some steel floor plates at the Frontios colony. (TV: Frontios)