Roll Film & Roll Film CameraKodak’s original camera contained plates. Later versions contained one-hundred exposures; customers would take their pictures, mail in their camera, and the company mailed back developed pictures and a refilled camera. Roll film changed all that, vastly lowering the cost and complexity of photography and eventually enabling the creation of movie film. Ordinary people could purchase … Continue reading "Roll Film & Roll Film Camera"
Magnetic Tape RecordingPoulsen, a Danish engineer, created and patented a machine that recorded onto magnetic tape. His called the invention a Telegraphone. There was no amplification and the recording quality was poor. In 1928, Pfleumer, a German, vastly improved the magnetic tape. He named his device a Magnetophone. During WWII the Germans used it for communications and … Continue reading "Magnetic Tape Recording"
Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping1941 Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler (Hedy Lamarr)George Antheil Spread spectrum frequency hopping synchronizes devices to speak over changing frequencies. The technology jumps from one frequency to another in a predetermined but predictable manner so that the sender and recipient can change simultaneously. Lamarr and Antheil created the technology to contribute to the WWII effort, though … Continue reading "Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping"
Birth Control Pill“The church has ever opposed the progress of woman on the ground that her freedom would lead to immorality. We ask the church to have more confidence in women.” Margaret Sanger, Co-Inventor of the Birth Control Pill & Founder, Planned Parenthood Birth Control pills have an especially colorful history. Development of The Pill involved four … Continue reading "Birth Control Pill"
Blockchain Explained? Hype or Hope?Blockchain is like the gluten diet a few years back; everybody’s into it but nobody’s quite sure why and few people really need it though to those who do it’s important. I’ll analyze it through the only metric that really matters, value. But before doing that, we need to understand what the it actually is. … Continue reading "Blockchain Explained? Hype or Hope?"
Solar CellsSolar Cells produce electricity from sunlight. Early History In 1873 and 1874, scientists noticed that selenium reacted with light to produce electricity. During the 1870s William Adams and Richard Day proved that light plus selenium generated current. Eventually, famous German scientist Werner von Siemens (founder of Siemens) was excited about the possibility of solar cells … Continue reading "Solar Cells"
Breach Loaded FirearmsFlintlock guns required the user to pour gunpowder into the barrel of the weapon, stamp it down, add a bullet, then carefully pick the whole thing up and fire it. By the time all that finished, soldiers could be chased down and stabbed with a knife. Breach-loading firearms opened the rifle near the back. They … Continue reading "Breach Loaded Firearms"
Hybrid CornGenetic modification by people have produced virtually all plants and animals in the western world. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and brussels sprouts are all derived from a wild mustard plant in Europe. None of these vegetables exist but-for early genetic engineering. Similarly, all dogs, cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens are modern man-made creations. Scientists … Continue reading "Hybrid Corn"
Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor“…even though science and technology are wonderful, what really gets them out there for people to use is to have businesses built around them. It takes savvy businessmen as well as savvy technologists to make that work.” Tedd Hoff Background Ted Hoff had access to then state-of-the-art vacuum tube circuits in high school. In 1954, … Continue reading "Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor"
Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)1969 William BoyleGeorge Smith “We are the ones who started this profusion of little cameras all over the world.” William Boyle Charged Coupled Devices (CCD’s) are a special type of chip that reacts to light. They are inexpensive and especially useful in imagining, enabling digital photography and video. William Boyle and George Smith worked for … Continue reading "Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)"
BicycleProlific innovator Karl Drais invented the bicycle, first without pedals then, later, with. He also invented the typewriter w/ keyboard, first stenograph, and player-less piano. Drais was a civil servant ineligible for patent protection but was given patents and a pension. However, he found himself on the wrong side of a Prussian war, going so … Continue reading "Bicycle"
Automated Teller Machine (ATM)Automated Teller Machines (ATM’s) dispense cash, take deposits, and perform other limited banking functions 24×7. In 1964, James Goodfellow patented and created a machine that used a punched card combined with a secret PIN. He built this out into a full-fledged ATM, filing a patent on May 2, 1966. Later ATM makers, including NCR, licensed … Continue reading "Automated Teller Machine (ATM)"
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET Plastic bottles)PET plastic reduced the cost and weight of beverage containers. Originally, only glass and metal containers were suitable for storing carbonated drinks. Other plastics would bulge and break. However, PET plastic enabled plastic bottles suitable for carbonated drinks. Soon, it became used for all beverages. In the 1960s, plastics engineer Wyeth questioned whether carbonated drinks … Continue reading "Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET Plastic bottles)"
Better Oil Drill Bit (Tricone Rotary Rock Drill)A drill bit sounds relatively petty compared to the other inventions on this list. Granted, it’s not Watt’s condensing steam engine, Edison’s long-lasting lightbulb, Tesla’s induction motor or the Wright Brothers airplane. But Hughes drill bit dramatically lowered the cost of drilling for oil. It also opened previously unavailable oil fields where oil reserves lay … Continue reading "Better Oil Drill Bit (Tricone Rotary Rock Drill)"
35-millimeter Photography35mm film remained the standard for photography for decades until digital photography. The film is important because it enabled the miniaturization of cameras. Background The Houston brothers invented roll film and sold the rights to George Eastman. Eventually, Thomas Edison purchased 70mm roll film from Eastman to make movies. Subsequently, Edison employee William Dickson sliced … Continue reading "35-millimeter Photography"
