Great Discoveries And Inventions That Have Changed The World

What would life be like without cars, refrigerators, the Internet, or the omnipresent smartphone? Take an extraordinary journey through the discoveries that have transformed our world forever. They include innovations in technology, such as alternating current, plastic, and the robot; communications (cameras, radio, cinema); medicine, from aspirin to the pacemaker; and transportation. See what led to their creation and meet the exceptional figures who conceived them.

GREAT INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Discover the inventions that have made our world what it is today A great invention opens the door to a new era in human history. The stone axe, for example, invented some 2 million years ago in East Africa, enabled us to enter the human path of endless improvements through inventions. The taming of fire enabled us to cook food as well as leave the warmth of Africa and move to the frigid lands of the North. From the stone axe to the computer and the Internet, this book provides a fascinating tour of the most important inventions and inventors throughout history. You’ll discover the landmark achievements and the men and women that made the world what it is today. Great Inventions That Changed the World is written by Professor James Wei, a renowned educator and engineer who holds several patents for his own inventions. Following an introductory chapter examining the role of inventors and inventions in fueling innovation and global advancement, the book is organized to show how inventions are spurred by human needs and desires, including: Work Food, clothing, and housing Health and reproduction Security Transportation Information The good life As you progress through the book, you’ll not only learn about inventions and inventors, but also the impact they have had on our lives and the society and environment in which we live today. Inventions solve problems, but as this book so expertly demonstrates, they can also directly or indirectly create new problems as well, from pollution to global warming to bioterrorism. By enabling us to understand the impact of inventions throughout history, this book can help guide the next generation of citizens, decision makers, and inventors.

45 technological touchstones are described and illustrated.

We take thousands of inventions for granted, using them daily and enjoying their benefits. But how much do we really know about their origins and development? This absorbing new book tells the stories behind the inventions that have changed the world.

What would life be like without cars, refrigerators, the Internet, or the omnipresent smartphone? Take an extraordinary journey through the discoveries that have transformed our world forever. They include innovations in technology, such as alternating current, plastic, and the robot; communications (cameras, radio, cinema); medicine, from aspirin to the pacemaker; and transportation. See what led to their creation and meet the exceptional figures who conceived them.

From safety pins to steam engines to cell phones, the stories behind innovations that have transformed everyday lives. We take thousands of inventions for granted, using them daily and enjoying their benefits. But how much do we really know about their origins and development? This absorbing new book tells the stories behind the inventions that have changed the world, with details about: Convenience items, such as safety pins, toothbrushes, and bifocals Weapons of war, including explosives, gunpowder, and shrapnel shells Industrial advances, such as the steam engine and the power loom for weaving Transportation advances, including the airplane, the diesel engine, the automobile, and the air-inflated rubber tire Electronic marvels, including color television, the microprocessor, the personal computer, the compact disc, and the cell phone Medical advances, from antiseptic surgery to the electron microscope...and much more You’ll also learn more about many inventors and pioneers of science and technology—including Eli Whitney, James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Bessemer, Thomas Edison, J.B. Dunlop, the Wright Brothers, Werner von Braun, Jonas Salk, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and others.