The invention of gunpowder has had one of the most profound influences on the history of warfare for the last thousand years, even though gunpowder was known to alchemists for another thousand years or more before the first use as an explosive in a military situation. Gunpowder is used in military applications such as cannons and rifles, as well as in fireworks, and is primarily made by mixing sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate into a […]

The invention of the computer is a fascinating story all about arguably the most important scientific invention of humanity’s entire history, perhaps even more important than the invention of fire, the wheel, or weaving. Computers have become indispensable in modern life, so much so our entire civilization would collapse to pre-industrial revolution levels if computers suddenly stopped working. The origins of computers date back to the 1840s and the invention of the first adding machines […]

Perhaps the most useful invention of the 20th century, Velcro has become a ubiquitous product used extensively in clothing and the space industry because it attaches items together easily and without messy glues or causing damage. Velcro is a registered trademark of the Velcro Corporation founded by George de Mestral,the inventor of velcro. Back in 1941, de Mestral was walking around the hills of Commugny in Switzerland with his dog, and when he got home […]

The iPod is probably one of the most revolutionary consumer products ever developed, it’s right up there with velcro, computers, cars, even the paper clip. Designed and manufactured by Apple Inc, some say the iPod was invented by Steve Jobs, and since its launch in 2001 has become the world’s biggest selling mp3 player with over 180 million units shipped by the end of 2008. In 2000, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs setup a team of […]