What scientists have invented. Know what's going on
Throughout its existence, the human race has been inventing new things to explain the laws of the surrounding world and use them for its own benefit. It is quite difficult to say who stood out more than others in this field. However, let's try to make a rating most famous inventors, eliminating from this list those who personally did not come up with anything, only improving old ideas.
Thomas Edison closes the top five. A reasonable question arises: why did the owner of more than a thousand patents end up in fifth place? The answer is obvious. Despite the fact that the inventor himself was highly efficient, many of his discoveries were made by engineers hired by his company. And the most famous invention of the electric light bulb is attributed to Heinrich Goebel, who failed to patent his idea. After his death, Edison bought the drawings of the invention from the widow for mere pennies. And, in general, Edison was distinguished by the fact that he did everything for the sake of commercial gain, although this does not diminish his talent.
The Greatest Mind of All Time Leonardo da Vinci too ahead of its time. His technologies and developments are being implemented today. Da Vinci only created brilliant ideas that he did not bring to reality. The Italian anticipated the appearance of the tank, submarine, telephone and photography. The genius came up with a parachute, a robot, a catapult and a searchlight. Modern scientists confirm the functionality of his drawings.
If you ask in some remote corner of the world who Kalashnikov is, they will immediately answer you - an assault rifle. Almost every inhabitant of the planet knows this surname, so Mikhail Kalashnikov rightfully closes the top three of the most famous inventors.
Recently there has been renewed interest in inventions Nikola Tesla. Considered a slightly crazy hermit, the great inventor died in oblivion. His 111 patents accelerated leaps in industrial development. The inventor's interests extended to various fields: electricity, nuclear physics, radar and computer science. It is believed that he conducted research on teleportation, antigravity and laser physics. However, life limits people's time, and not all, even the most brilliant ideas, have time to come true.
Archimedes to this day it is considered the most famous inventor. Schoolchildren and students are still trying to grasp his discoveries in the field of mathematics. At the same time, Archimedes used only his head and his own experience. Archimedes may have had access to the Library of Alexandria. The Archimedes screw, various sedimentary weapons and the tactics of setting ships on fire with the help of mirrors - all this and much more was invented by the brilliant Archimedes 2000 years ago.
In this article we will talk about the greatest inventors of the world at all times. These people are perhaps the most famous inventors in history.
List of inventors:
Archimedes of Syracuse
(287 - 212 BC)
Archimedes was from Syracuse, so he received the nickname Archimedes of Syracuse. He is primarily known as an outstanding mathematician, physicist and engineer. His interests also included astronomy and, of course, inventions. The life of Archimedes is known only in general details, so a complete biography cannot be found
Overall, he is considered one of the great mathematicians of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time. Archimedes anticipated modern calculus and analysis by using the concepts of infinitesimals and the method of exhaustion to derive and rigorously prove a number of geometric theorems, including accurately calculating the area of a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the area under a parabola.
Archimedes screw for raising water in irrigation systems.
Other mathematical achievements include obtaining an accurate approximation of Pi, identifying and studying the spiral that was named after him (the Archimedean spiral), and creating a system for expressing very large numbers using exponentiation. He was also one of the first to apply mathematics to physical phenomena, laying the foundations of hydrostatics and statics, including the physical explanation of the operation of levers, which is now all taught in school physics lessons. It is known that Archimedes actively tried to improve and automate various tasks. One of the most famous problems he solved was the problem of rising water in irrigation systems, which he solved with the help of an innovative invention - a special auger screw. He also invented compound pulleys and defensive machines to protect his native Syracuse from invasion.
(10 - 75 AD)
Heron of Alexandria was a mathematician and engineer who worked in his hometown of Alexandria, Roman Egypt. He is considered the greatest experimentalist of antiquity, and his work is a development of the Hellenistic scientific tradition.
He was busy developing geometry, mechanics, hydrostatics, and optics. He has written a number of scientific papers (with an emphasis on practice) in all these areas. During the Dark Ages, his name was forgotten, and his inventions ceased to be of any interest to the people of that time.
Among his inventions you will find the first robotic systems, self-loading crossbows, music boxes, vending machines and much more that seems incredible for that time. Heron also published a well-known description of a steam device called an aeolipile (sometimes called "Heron's engine" or "Heron's steam turbine"). They say that he was a follower of the atomists.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath, that is, a man whose intellect allowed him not to be limited to one area of interest. His interests included invention, painting, sculpture, architecture, science, music, mathematics, technology, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history and cartography. Among scientists, he is rightfully considered the progenitor of paleontology, paleoichnology and architecture. In the artistic community you can often find him rated as the greatest artist of all time. He personifies the ideal of Renaissance humanism.
In history and science, Leonardo is considered the main example of the "universal genius" or "Renaissance man", a man of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination". According to art historian Helen Gardner, the scope and depth of his interests were unprecedented in history, and "his mind and personality seem to us superhuman, while he himself was a man of mystery and distance." Marco Roski notes that although there are many myths, hypotheses and assumptions around Leonardo’s life, Vinci’s very thinking and perception of the world was quite logical using empirical methods of cognition, which for those times were a violation of generally accepted rules and dogmas.
Leonardo is deeply respected for his fantastic ingenuity. He created concepts for flying machines (planes, helicopters, parachutes) and so on, military vehicles (tank, rapid-fire crossbows, assault ladders, etc.), construction vehicles (excavator, various cranes and ladders, etc.), musical machines, culinary machines and much more. more. During his lifetime, not many of his inventions were built, which can be explained by the low level of development of industry, metallurgy and technology at that time. However, some of his smaller inventions, such as the automatic bobbin winder and the machine for testing the tensile strength of wire, entered the industrial world unfinished. Although his achievements seem simply enormous to us now, he, unfortunately, did not have a direct impact on the development of science, since he did not publish many of his findings without sharing them with the scientists and inventors of that time.
Kulibin Ivan Petrovich
Ivan Petrovich Kulibin was a Russian mechanic and inventor. He was born in Nizhny Novgorod and even later received the nickname “Nizhny Novgorod Archimedes.” Since childhood, he showed interest in creating mechanical products. Soon his interest grew into creating watch movements. His products and fertile imagination inspired many inventors.
His most famous invention is the design of a bridge across the Neva River, thereby modeling such a complex bridge for the first time. In addition, he invented various automated mechanisms, for example, a scooter with a pedal mechanism and even mechanical prostheses. His area of interest also concerned water transport, where he also made a number of inventions.
He was primarily known among the masses as the inventor of funny toys and fireworks with which he entertained people. All this greatly surprised his contemporaries. Interestingly, he was an absolute teetotaler, did not gamble and did not smoke tobacco.
James Watt
James Watt was born in Scotland. He was an inventor, mechanical engineer and chemist. He is primarily known for improving Thomas Newcomen's steam engine. It was Watt's steam engine that became the foundation for the industrial revolution both in Great Britain and throughout the world. After its modernization, the efficiency of the steam engine increased 4 times or more, and its control became easier.
A detailed explanation of all the principles of operation of the Watt steam engine and the physics of the process can be seen in the video below:
In addition to mechanics and physics, Watt was interested in chemistry and invented a bleaching agent. In his old age, he even managed to engage in invention in art, trying to develop an eidograph (copying machine) for sculptures, developing the ideas of a pantograph (machine for copying maps). Watt also created the concept of measuring horsepower, and later scientists decided to name the SI unit of power (watt), which we now see on every light bulb, after Watt.
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla is an outstanding Serbian-American inventor, without whom it is difficult to imagine the era of electricity in the 20th century. He was not only an engineer, physicist, designer and mechanic, but also a great futurist dreamer.
He received his education in the Austrian Empire, and in 1884 he emigrated to the United States, where he received citizenship. After which he developed an AC induction motor, and also patented a number of other AC-related inventions, which eventually became the heart of the Westinghouse polyphase system.
3-phase electric motor rotating in a magnetic field
Having earned a significant amount of money, he continues his experiments in the field of electricity. He experiments with discharge tubes and tries to take the first pictures using X-rays. He was the first to build a small boat with wireless control, which he demonstrated at an exhibition, which surprised his contemporaries, since they could not understand how it was controlled.
Later, he came up with the idea of wireless lighting and worldwide wireless power distribution. In his laboratory in Colorado Springs, he conducts experiments with high-voltage and high-frequency electricity. The point was that he wanted to wirelessly transmit electricity between entire continents! But he didn't have enough money and couldn't finish it. Later, a unit for measuring induction in a magnetic field would be named after Tesla.
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No. 10. Leonardo da Vinci
Don't be surprised that this famous inventor in 10th place. The reason is this: he invented technologies that were many years ahead of the science of that time and in fact could not be implemented. Leonardo was more of a futurist who imagined various innovations, rather than a man who could actually create real things with his own hands. In addition, his interest changed quickly and none of the theories received deep study. His inventions include a submarine, a tank, and a glider.
No. 9. Edwin Land
Physicist and great inventor Edwin Land of Connecticut didn't invent photography, of course, but he did invent or improve almost everything else related to it. During his freshman year at Harvard University in 1926, he developed a new kind of polarizer by combining and embedding crystals in a plastic sheet, which he called Polaroid. He applied the polarizing principle to filters, optical devices and film processes and founded the Polaroid Corporation. Holder of at least 535 US patents.
No. 8. Benjamin Franklin
Seriously? Ben Franklin? Absolutely! Not many people know that among his many skills (Franklin was a renowned polymath: writer, satirist, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, social activist, statesman, diplomat), he was amazing great inventor. Among his many creations are a lightning rod that has saved countless homes from lightning fires, Armonica glass, a Franklin stove, bifocals, and even a flexible urinary catheter. Franklin did not patent his inventions, believing that innovation should be available to everyone, which is why his inventions are often forgotten.
No. 7. Heron of Alexandria
If he knew that his invention could turn the world upside down and start an industrial revolution, he would have told the whole world about it back in 50 AD. Alas, he thought that the invented steam engine was just a toy, and, besides, with slaves, why invent a steam engine for widespread use? Some of the best minds of the Roman Empire developed other useful things, including a pump, a syringe, a fountain, a windmill - all during the pre-industrial era. It is a pity that he did not develop his inventions for widespread use.
No. 6. Jerome "Jerry" Hal Lemelson
One of the most fruitful famous inventors of the world in history - 605 patents. What did he invent? Things like automated warehouses, industrial robots, cordless phones, fax machines, VCRs, camcorders, and magnetic drive tapes, the tapes used in Sony's Walkman players. Lemelson has also filed patents in the areas of medical devices, cancer detection and treatment, diamond coating and consumer electronics and television.
No. 5. George Westinghouse
The main invention was electrical systems that ran on alternating current (the result of Nikola Tesla's work, by the way), which eventually surpassed Edison's DC devices and paved the way for the modern power grid. But before he surpassed Edison, he invented air-based railroad brakes. And, of course, he tried to develop a perpetual motion machine. However, to no avail. 361 patents.
No. 4. Alexander Graham Bell
Everyone knows the famous inventor of telephones, but not many know that he also invented devices that help detect icebergs, as well as the modern metal detector.
No. 3. Thomas Edison
What? The most prolific and one of great inventors of the world in modern history, with over a thousand patents and not number one? Inventor of the light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the man who literally electrified New York? Can't be! In fact, although Edison was a gifted man, many of his most famous inventions were developed by other people working for him or in collaboration with an entire team, making him responsible for the development of projects, but not their main inventor.
No. 2. Nikola Tesla
The man, little known during his lifetime, was in fact responsible for the birth of commercial electricity more than anyone else. His patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern AC electrical power systems, including the multiphase AC electrical distribution system that helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution. He also contributed in varying degrees to the science of robotics, laid the foundation for the development of remote control, radar, and computer science, and even participated in the expansion of ballistics, nuclear physics, and theoretical physics. Some people also believe that he worked on anti-gravity, teleportation and lasers, but this has not been proven. Either way, he has 111 patents and is recognized as one of the best and most innovative minds in history.
No. 1. Archimedes of Syracuse
How did an ancient Greek scientist take first place in the top 10 The most famous and greatest inventors of the world? First, he is recognized as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He came close to accurately calculating the value of Pi, figured out how to determine the area under the arc of a parabola, and came up with many other things that have become nightmares for schoolchildren in math classes today. He also invented a variety of machines, including siege engines and perhaps even a device that was capable of setting Roman ships on fire using a mirror, focusing sunlight on the sails. It is not unimportant that he did all this more than 2000 years ago, without the help of computers or technology available to many inventors today. Additionally, despite the fact that he trained at Alexandria (although this is not confirmed), he acquired most of his knowledge the old fashioned way - through personal experience.
who, during their activities or later, changed people's lives. These are genius inventors who created the foundations in various spheres of human activity.
Thomas Edison(1847-1931) filed over 1000 patents. He has developed innovative products ranging from light bulbs to electric vehicle batteries.
– successfully developed, built and tested the first aircraft. The Wright brothers showed that man can fly. This is one of the most important inventions of the 20th century.
Benjamin Franklin polymath (1705 - 1790) who discovered electricity and invented the Franklin furnace.
Nikola Tesla(1856 –1943) Serbian scientist who emigrated to the USA. He was a brilliant scientist who played a key role in the development of alternating current electricity - through the AC induction motor, transformer and Tesla coils. The use of alternating current electricity was its global invention of the century. Played a key role in the development of electromagnetism and other scientific discoveries of his time. Despite his enormous number of patents and discoveries, his achievements were underestimated during his lifetime. But he deserves to be included in the list as the greatest inventors.
Charles Babbage(1791 - 1871) - created the first mechanical computer, which turned out to be a prototype for future computers. Considered the "Father of Computers"
(1736 - 1819) Inventor of the steam engine, which was crucial in the Industrial Revolution. His invention of a separate condensing chamber greatly increased the efficiency of steam. Alexander Bell(1847-1922) invented the first practical telephone. Also worked on optical telecommunications and aeronautics.
The greatest inventors of antiquity
Leonardo da Vinci(1452 - 1519) one of the greatest minds ever. Invented models that were still functional 500 years later. Considered the oldest and greatest inventor.
(1564-1642) developed a powerful telescope and confirmed a revolutionary theory about the nature of the world. An improved compass has also been developed.
Modern inventors
Tim Berners-Lee is a British scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web (WWW). It was he who developed the http:// protocol for the Internet. With this world wide web (WWW) protocol, the Internet is free and accessible to everyone. The Internet plays a huge role is considered and belongs to the section
The first web page address was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html
This is not the entire list; the most famous inventions will still appear.
One can argue for a long time about who is the greatest inventor in the history of mankind. Many people claim this title without actually inventing anything of their own, but only by improving the inventions of others. Including such persons on the list of the very best would be incorrect.
Let's try to abstract from personal biases and create a truly objective list. For those who got into it, there was no need to create a significant number of discoveries. After all, there are inventors who have thousands of patents, but they are all related to minor variations of the same device or are concentrated in one narrow area.
We tried to select those representatives of science whose inventions turned out to be the most significant, having the maximum impact on society. At the same time, the thoughts of scientists were often ahead of the technical capabilities of their time.
Archimedes. Why was the ancient Greek scientist in first place? First of all, because he is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, having come close to calculating the number "Pi". Today, all schoolchildren and students study and use the discoveries of this Greek every day. Archimedes also became famous for inventing many useful machines. These included siege weapons and mirrors that set fire to the sails of Roman ships by focusing the sun's rays. Archimedes was the first theorist of mechanics. For example, he outlined the complete theory of leverage, applying it in practice. The scientist also developed an Archimedes screw (auger), with the help of which water is bailed out to this day. The primacy of this inventor is deserved - after all, all this was discovered more than two thousand years ago, when there were neither computers nor technologies available to inventors today. Archimedes may have studied in the libraries of Alexandria, but much of his knowledge was self-acquired.
Nikola Tesla. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in this scientist, who was little known during his lifetime and died practically in oblivion. The Serbian, who was something of a recluse and mad scientist, can be considered today as the most responsible for the advent of commercial electricity on the planet. Although Tesla's fame stems from his work in electromagnetism, he held patents and theoretical work that formed the basis of modern alternating current and electrical systems, including the polyphase system. It was this part of the scientist’s discoveries that ushered in the second industrial revolution. Tesla is associated with the fundamentals of robotics, laid the foundations for remote control, radar and computer science, and his works relate to ballistics, nuclear and theoretical physics. Some believe that the scientist was even able to discover antigravity and teleportation, but this, of course, remains unproven. In any case, Tesla, with his 111 patents, remains one of the best and most innovative minds in history, recognized only by his descendants.
Thomas Edison. Many will be surprised that the most prolific inventor in modern history, who owns more than a thousand patents, is not ranked first. We know Edison as the inventor of the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and the kinetoscope (a device for displaying moving pictures). The inventor electrified all of New York, and he's not the first on our list? No one denies Edison's talents, but many of his famous discoveries were developed by other organizations or engineers working for him. As a result, Thomas was responsible for the work of an entire team of researchers, but he still cannot be called the main inventor. However, Edison had the unpleasant ability to violate agreements by not paying employees, but was it possible to be perfect at that time? Although the inventor was not personally responsible for everything that came out of his Menlo Park laboratory, he was undoubtedly a master of R@D and oversaw the creation and production of many of the greatest discoveries of the nineteenth century. Edison himself was distinguished by extreme efficiency and determination; right into his old age he worked 16-19 hours a day. The inventor himself noted that he sought to discover only what could subsequently have commercial benefits.
Alexander Graham Bell. It would seem that only the invention of the telephone brought fame to this man. However, if you look at all the achievements of this man over the 75 years of his life, his place on our list will become clear. Bell himself invented the telephone as a result of his work with deaf people. However, few people know that Alexander also invented devices for identifying people with poor hearing (an audiometer), for finding treasures (a modern metal detector), a hydrofoil boat, and even one of the first airplanes. With funds received from the creation of the telephone company, Bell created the Volta Institute, in which inventors improved telephony, the phonograph and electrical communications. We can also thank Mr. Bell for creating the National Geographic Foundation in 1888.
George Westinghouse. Although Edison contributed the most to his inventions, it is difficult to argue that Westinghouse's financial contributions were almost as great. George's inventions were based on an electrical system that basically used alternating current (this was the result of the work of Nikola Tesla). Ultimately, this approach prevailed over Edison's insistence on direct current and marked the beginning of the modern power grid. But Westinghouse was quite versatile - he was able to surpass Edison by inventing not only an alternating current power system, but also an air brake for the railroad. This discovery significantly improved safety in this type of transport. Like Edison, George also experimented with creating a perpetual motion machine. Such work can hardly be called serious, if only because this machine would violate the laws of physics, but the inventor cannot be blamed for an unsuccessful attempt. The prolific engineer eventually received 361 patents for his inventions.
Jerome "Jerry" Hal Lemelson. How, have you never heard of such a person? But he was one of the most prolific inventors in history, collecting as many as 605 patents. What did he invent? Lemelson is credited with creating automated warehouses, industrial robots, cordless telephones, fax machines, video cameras, VCRs, and magnetic tape cassettes like those used in the Sony Walkman. But Jerome's inventions also relate to medical instrumentation, cancer detection and treatment, diamond coating technology, consumer electronics and television. Lemelson became the most famous of his time, but was a strong advocate for the rights of independent inventors. This made him a controversial figure, large companies and patent offices disliked him, but Jerome was a true champion among a community of independent craftsmen like himself.
Heron of Alexandria. If this man had understood what he had invented, and even had the opportunity to make the appropriate tools and materials, then the industrial revolution could have begun not in 1750, but in 50! Alas, Heron thought that he had invented another toy, and was there a need in those days to use steam engines if there was no shortage of slaves around? Heron is considered one of the finest minds in the Roman Empire and is credited with creating such useful things as the pump, the first syringe, a fountain that could operate with hydrostatic energy, a wind-powered organ, and even the first coin-operated machine. Heron developed a device for measuring the length of roads (the first taximeter), automatic doors and the first programmable devices. Moreover, his discoveries were created in the pre-industrial era, he eventually became someone like the Thomas Edison of antiquity. It is a pity that Heron, like Leonardo da Vinci, could not develop his inventions more seriously and develop their ideas further. Then we might live in a completely different world.
Benjamin Franklin."Seriously?" - many will ask. Yes, absolutely! Few people know that among Franklin's varied skills (he was a polymath, author and novelist, satirist, political scientist, scientist, civic activist, diplomat and statesman) was a passion for invention. Among Benjamin's many discoveries were the lightning rod, which saved countless homes and lives from lightning strikes and subsequent fires, the glass harmonica (not to be confused with the metal one), the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and even a flexible urinary catheter. The scientist himself never patented any of his discoveries, so his inventions have many similarities with others, which led to the belittling of Franklin’s creative abilities. In his autobiography, he wrote: “Just as we enjoy the benefits bestowed upon us by the inventions of others, we should rejoice in the opportunity to serve others in the same way. Any invention of ours should be open and free of charge.” This noble approach makes Franklin a worthy representative of our ten.
Edwin Land. Connecticut physicist and inventor Edwin Land may not have invented photography, but he did invent and perfect almost everything else related to it. Already in his first year of study at Harvard in 1926, the young man developed a new type of polarizer, combining crystals into a plastic sheet, calling it “Polaroid.” Later, joining other young scientists, he developed the polarization principle of filters, optical devices and video recording processes, founding the Polaroid company based on his discoveries. Edwin holds at least 535 US patents, and Land is believed to be best known for his invention of the fully autonomous camera. This made it possible to watch the footage on the spot, rather than having to wait a long time for the film to be developed.
Leonardo da Vinci. Many will find it strange that one of the greatest minds of the Renaissance took only tenth place in our ranking. However, the reason lies not in himself, but in the time in which he lived. The technology of Leonardo's era simply couldn't implement most of his ideas, so technically he didn't invent much at all. The scientist was more of a futurist who came up with various innovations faster than the mechanics of the time could bring them to life. And Da Vinci’s interests were so broad that he usually did not delve into any one of his ideas, leaving only a general description and a few sketches. Although the Italian foresaw the advent of such things as gliders, tanks, and submarines, he did not foresee the advent of such future great inventions as electricity, the telephone, and photography. Among the scientist’s creations are a catapult, a robot, a searchlight and a parachute. Leonardo da Vinci was undoubtedly a great mind. If he had been able to concentrate on one idea long enough to bring it to fruition, we would undoubtedly call him the greatest inventor in history.
