Inventions That Changed the World

by Castleden, Rodney

• ISBN13: 9780785822295
• ISBN10: 0785822291
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-02-28
• Publisher: Book Sales

Summary

More than 250 inventions are described in chronological order, from stone tools to DVDs, from gunpowder to the atom bomb, from the wheel to the worldwide web, including: the names and backgrounds of their inventors, the problems the inventors were trying to solve, the significance of the inventions to their contemporaries, the ways in which inventions have changed the world in which we live.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 13
The Ancient World
The invention of stone tools (about 500,000 BC)	p. 20
The invention of paint (38,000 BC)	p. 23
The invention of arrowheads (18,000 BC)	p. 26
The development of settled life (8000 BC)	p. 28
The invention of trepanning (6500 BC)	p. 31
The invention of the wheel (6400 BC)	p. 33
The invention of maps (6200 BC)	p. 37
The invention of irrigation (6000 BC)	p. 40
The invention of pottery (6000 BC)	p. 43
The invention of copper smelting (5500 BC)	p. 46
The invention of monuments (4700 BC)	p. 48
The invention of the ard (4500 BC)	p. 52
The invention of papyrus (4000 BC)	p. 54
The invention of sun-dried bricks (4000 BC)	p. 58
The invention of writing (3000 BC)	p. 62
The invention of soap (2800 BC)	p. 65
The invention of silk (2640 BC)	p. 67
The invention of currency (2200 BC)	p. 69
The invention of the aqueduct (1700 BC)	p. 71
The invention of coins (640 BC)	p. 74
The invention of the stirrup (500 BC)	p. 76
The invention of geometry (300 BC)	p. 78
The invention of the Archimedean screw (265 BC)	p. 82
The invention of the astrolabe (150 BC)	p. 83
The invention of the encyclopedia (35 BC)	p. 86
The invention of paper from pulp (AD 105)	p. 92
The creation of the first world map (150)	p. 94
The invention of woodblock printing (200)	p. 97
The invention of the horseshoe (450)	p. 100
The creation of the Christian calendar (525)	p. 102
The invention of the windmill (600)	p. 105
The Medieval and Renaissance World
The invention of gunpowder (900)	p. 108
The invention of paper money (960)	p. 111
The invention of the magnetic compass (1086)	p. 112
The invention of anaesthetics (1236)	p. 115
The invention of spectacles (1265)	p. 117
The invention of the clock (1280)	p. 119
The invention of the watermark (1282)	p. 121
The invention of the movable type printing press (1440)	p. 123
The invention of the rain gauge (1441)	p. 126
The invention of the paddle wheel (1450)	p. 128
The invention of the arquebus (1475)	p. 130
The invention of the globe (before 1490-92)	p. 134
The invention of the Gregorian calendar (1582)	p. 138
The invention of the knitting machine (1589)	p. 140
The invention of the flushing water closet (1589)	p. 143
The invention of the thermometer (1593)	p. 146
The invention of the microscope (1595)	p. 149
The Enlightened World
The invention of the telescope (1608)	p. 152
The invention of logarithms (1614)	p. 154
The invention of the slide rule (1614)	p. 157
The invention of the micrometer (1636)	p. 160
The invention of the calculating machine (1642)	p. 162
The invention of the barometer (1643)	p. 164
The invention of the air pump (1650)	p. 168
The invention of the pendulum clock (1656)	p. 169
The invention of the reflecting telescope (1668)	p. 172
The invention of calculus (1666)	p. 175
The invention of the pressure cooker (1675)	p. 179
The invention of the steam pump (1698)	p. 181
The invention of the piano (1700)	p. 183
The invention of the seed drill (1701)	p. 186
The invention of iron smelting using coke (1709)	p. 187
The invention of the steam engine (1712)	p. 190
The invention of the mercury thermometer (1714)	p. 192
The invention of inoculation against smallpox (1718)	p. 194
The invention of the diving suit (1715)	p. 199
The invention of the flying shuttle (1733)	p. 202
The invention of the ship's chronometer (1735)	p. 204
The invention of the lightning conductor (1752)	p. 208
The invention of the ribbing machine (1758)	p. 210
The invention of the spinning jenny (1764)	p. 212
The invention of the condensing steam engine (1765)	p. 214
The invention of Venetian blinds (1769)	p. 216
The invention of Coade stone (1771)	p. 218
The reinvention of the flushing water closet (1775)	p. 221
The invention of the spinning mule (1779)	p. 223
The invention of the hot-air balloon (1783)	p. 225
The invention of the parachute (1783)	p. 227
The invention of the power loom (1785)	p. 229
The invention of the threshing machine (1786)	p. 232
The invention of coal gas lighting (1792)	p. 235
The invention of the cotton gin (1793)	p. 238
The invention of the internal combustion engine (1794)	p. 240
The invention of the pencil (1795)	p. 242
The invention of lithography (1796)	p. 244
The invention of cast-iron beams and columns (1796)	p. 246
The invention of the top hat (1797)	p. 249
The invention of the electric battery (1800)	p. 251
The invention of the metal lathe (1800)	p. 253
The Nineteenth-Century World
The invention of the Jacquard loom (1801)	p. 258
The invention of the suspension bridge (1801)	p. 260
The invention of the steamboat (1802)	p. 262
The invention of the steam locomotive (1804)	p. 265
The invention of the refrigerator (1805)	p. 267
The invention of carbon paper (1806)	p. 270
The invention of the tin can (1810)	p. 272
The invention of the metronome (1812)	p. 274
The invention of the miner's safety lamp (1815)	p. 276
The invention of the macadam road surface (1815)	p. 278
The invention of the stethoscope (1816)	p. 280
The invention of the kaleidoscope (1817)	p. 281
The invention of the seagoing iron ship (1821)	p. 282
The invention of the digital calculating machine (1823)	p. 285
The invention of the electromagnet (1825)	p. 287
The invention of the railway (1825)	p. 288
The invention of the friction match (1826)	p. 292
The invention of Braille (1829)	p. 294
The invention of the lawnmower (1830)	p. 296
The invention of the electric motor (1831)	p. 298
The invention of the mechanical reaper (1831)	p. 300
The invention of the sewing machine (1832)	p. 302
The invention of the hansom cab (1834)	p. 304
The invention of the revolver (1836)	p. 306
The invention of the screw propeller (1836)	p. 307
The invention of photography (1838)	p. 311
The invention of the electric telegraph (1838)	p. 314
The invention of the bicycle (1839)	p. 317
The invention of vulcanized rubber (1839)	p. 319
The invention of incandescent electric light (1840)	p. 323
The invention of the submarine telegraph cable (1842)	p. 327
The re-invention of anaesthetics (1846)	p. 330
The invention of the sewing machine (1846)	p. 332
The invention of the safety elevator or lift (1853)	p. 335
The invention of the Bunsen burner (1855)	p. 337
The invention of the Bessemer converter (1856)	p. 339
The invention of the washing machine (1858)	p. 340
The invention of the oil derrick (1859)	p. 341
The invention of the ironclad (1859)	p. 344
The invention of linoleum (1860)	p. 347
The invention of the Gatling gun (1861)	p. 349
The invention of the cylinder lock (1862)	p. 351
The invention of the stapler (1866)	p. 353
The invention of dynamite (1866)	p. 355
The invention of the depth-sounding machine (1866)	p. 357
The invention of the torpedo (1866)	p. 359
The invention of antiseptic surgery (1867)	p. 362
The invention of celluloid (1868)	p. 364
The invention of the typewriter (1868)	p. 365
The invention of margarine (1870)	p. 367
The invention of lawn tennis (1874)	p. 368
The invention of barbed wire (1874)	p. 371
The invention of the telephone (1876)	p. 373
The invention of the phonograph (1877)	p. 375
The invention of the cash register (1879)	p. 379
The invention of lavatory paper (1880)	p. 380
The invention of the skyscraper (1884)	p. 382
The invention of the fountain pen (1884)	p. 386
The invention of the steam turbine (1884)	p. 388
The invention of the fingerprinting identification system (1885)	p. 390
The invention of the motorcycle (1885)	p. 392
The invention of the electric transformer (1885)	p. 394
The invention of Esperanto (1887)	p. 396
The invention of the electrocardiogram (ECG) (1887)	p. 398
The invention of the pneumatic tyre (1888)	p. 400
The invention of Gestetner typewriter stencil (1888)	p. 402
The invention of the zip fastener (1892)	p. 404
The invention of the diesel engine (1892)	p. 406
The invention of the tractor (1892)	p. 408
The invention of Henry Ford's car (1893)	p. 410
The invention of wireless (1895)	p. 412
The invention of motion pictures (1895)	p. 415
The invention of the x-ray machine (1895)	p. 418
The invention of the escalator (1897)	p. 419
The invention of the submarine (1898)	p. 421
The Modern World
The invention of the safety razor (1901)	p. 426
The invention of the aeroplane (1903)	p. 428
The invention of animated cartoon film (1906)	p. 431
The invention of the vacuum cleaner (1907)	p. 435
The invention of the helicopter (1907)	p. 437
The invention of cellophane (1908)	p. 439
The invention of Bakelite (1909)	p. 441
The invention of the Geiger counter (1911)	p. 442
The invention of the geological timescale (1913)	p. 443
The invention of the crossword puzzle (1913)	p. 446
The invention of the echo-sounder (1914)	p. 448
The invention of the tank (1915)	p. 450
The invention of camouflage (1917)	p. 453
The invention of autobahn (1921)	p. 457
The invention of the robot (1922)	p. 460
The invention of television (1925)	p. 462
The invention of the liquid-fuel rocket (1926)	p. 464
The invention of the jet engine (1930)	p. 468
The invention of the cyclotron (1931)	p. 469
The invention of the cat's eye (1934)	p. 472
The invention of the Belisha beacon (1934)	p. 473
The invention of nylon (1935)	p. 475
The invention of the ball-point pen (1935)	p. 477
The invention of radar (1935)	p. 480
The invention of the radio telescope (1937)	p. 482
The invention of the photocopier (1938)	p. 484
The invention of the electron microscope (1940)	p. 486
The invention of polyester (1941)	p. 488
The invention of the aerosol spray can (1944)	p. 489
The invention of the atom bomb (1945)	p. 491
The invention of the Identikit picture (1945)	p. 494
The invention of the electronic computer (1946)	p. 496
The invention of Warfarin (1947)	p. 499
The invention of the Polaroid camera (1947)	p. 500
The invention of Velcro (1948)	p. 502
The invention of the transistor (1948)	p. 504
The invention of long-playing records (1948)	p. 505
The invention of the barcode (1949)	p. 508
The invention of the nuclear power reactor (1951)	p. 511
The invention of the hovercraft (1955)	p. 515
The invention of the contraceptive pill (1955)	p. 517
The invention of the smokeless zone (1956)	p. 519
The invention of the videotape recorder (1956)	p. 522
The invention of the man-made satellite (1957)	p. 524
The invention of the laser (1958)	p. 527
The invention of the pacemaker (1958)	p. 531
The invention of the microchip (1959)	p. 533
The invention of heart transplant surgery (1967)	p. 534
The invention of space travel (1969)	p. 536
The invention of e-mail (1971)	p. 542
The invention of the CT-scanner (tomography) (1971)	p. 544
The invention of the cellphone (mobile phone) (1973)	p. 546
The invention of the Post-it note (1974)	p. 549
The invention of the MRI scanner (1977)	p. 551
The invention of the travelator (1978)	p. 552
The invention of the desktop computer (1980)	p. 555
The invention of the World Wide Web (1990)	p. 557
The invention of the clockwork radio (1991)	p. 559
The invention of the global positioning system (1993)	p. 562
The invention of Windows 95 (1995)	p. 564
The invention of the 10,000-year clock (1995)	p. 567
The invention of the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) (1995)	p. 569
Inventions named after their inventors	p. 573
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.