Inventors and Inventions

Inventors and Inventions provides an encyclopaedic survey of the history of inventing. The book begins by looking at inventions throughout history, covering everything from the wheel and Archimedes Screw to the Dual-Cyclone Vacuum cleaner and the ipod. The development of each invention is thoroughly detailed, showing how and why the inventions were created. As well as featuring the most well-known inventors throughout history, Inventors and Inventions also profiles often over-looked inventors, giving them their rightful place amongst the celebrated minds from our past. The book includes profiles of inventors, which put each invention in context, exploring the origins of the invention, and the effect it has on our lives today. The book also considers the introduction of patents and the controversies regarding attribution, such as the stories of contest behind the light bulb, television and the windsurfer. With chapters on Computers, Entertainment, Design, Medicine, Warfare, Sports, and Transportation, amongst others, Inventors and Inventions covers every important technological category. The book profiles the great minds that have shaped the world as it is today, featuring renowned inventors, such as: Mary Anderson (windscreen wipers); Luther Burban (Idaho potato); Clarence Birdseye (frozen food); Katherine Blodgett (non-reflecting glass); Louise Braille (Braille printing); John Moses Browning (automatic pistol); Willis Carrier (air conditioning); Josephine Cochran (dishwasher); Martin Coope (cellphone); Walt Disney (multi-plane camera); James Dyson (Dual-Cyclone vacuum cleaner); Thomas Edison (light bulb); Leonardo da Vinci (ornithopter). Inventors and Inventions is a beautiful and engaging book sure to delight readers of all ages and is the perfect gift for anyone with a thirst for knowledge.

Richard Fisher is the News Editor of New Scientist. He has written extensively for technology magazine The Engineer.