Great Inventions that Changed the World

16Discover the inventions that have made our world what it is todayA great invention opens the door to a new era in human history. The stone axe, for example, invented some 2 million years ago in East Africa, enabled us to enter the human path of endless improvements through inventions. The taming of fire enabled us to cook food as well as leave the warmth of Africa and move to the frigid lands of the North. From the stone axe to the computer and the Internet, this book provides a fascinating tour of the most important inventions and inventors throughout history. You'll discover the landmark achievements and the men and women that made the world what it is today.Great Inventions That Changed the World is written by Professor James Wei, a renowned educator and engineer who holds several patents for his own inventions. Following an introductory chapter examining the role of inventors and inventions in fueling innovation and global advancement, the book is organized to show how inven16tions are spurred by human needs and desires, including:WorkFood, clothing, and housingHealth and reproductionSecurityAs you progress through the book, you'll not only learn about inventions and inventors, but also the impact they have had on our lives and the society and environment in which we live today. Inventions solve problems, but as this book so expertly demonstrates, they can also directly or indirectly create new problems as well, from pollution to global warming to bioterrorism. By enabling us to understand the impact of inventions throughout history, this book can help guide the next generation of citizens, decision makers, and inventors. Discover the inventions that have made our world what it is todayA great invention opens the door to a new era in human history. The stone axe, for example, invented some 2 million years ago in East Africa, enabled us to enter the human path of endless improvements through inventions. The taming of fire enabled us to cook food a16s well as leave the warmth of Africa and move to the frigid lands of the North. From the stone axe to the computer and the Internet, this book provides a fascinating tour of the most important inventions and inventors throughout history. You'll discover the landmark achievements and the men and women that made the world what it is today.Great Inventions That Changed the World is written by Professor James Wei, a renowned educator and engineer who holds several patents for his own inventions. Following an introductory chapter examining the role of inventors and inventions in fueling innovation and global advancement, the book is organized to show how inventions are spurred by human needs and desires, including:WorkFood, clothing, and housingHealth and reproductionSecurityAs you progress through the book, you'll not only learn about inventions and inventors, but also the impact they have had on our lives and the society and environment in which we live today.Inventions solve16problems, but as this book so expertly demonstrates, they can also directly or indirectly create new problems as well, from pollution to global warming to bioterrorism. By enabling us to understand the impact of inventions throughout history, this book can help guide the next generation of citizens, decision makers, and inventors.04FOREWORD VIIPREFACE XI1 INTRODUCTION 11.1 Inventors and Inventions 21.2 Innovation, Development, Diffusion 111.3 Changing the World 152 INVENTIONS FOR WORK 452.1 Tools and Methods 462.2 Energy and Power 582.3 Materials 713 DOMESTIC LIFE: FOOD, CLOTHES, AND HOUSE 813.1 Food 823.2 Clothes 973.3 House 1044 HEALTH, REPRODUCTION 1174.1 Prevention 1194.2 Diagnostics 1264.3 Therapy 1314.4 Reproduction 1415 SECURITY 1535.1 Natural Threats 1535.2 Economic Threats 1575.3 Human Violence: War 1636 TRANSPORTATION 1976.1 Land Transportation 1996.2 Water Transportation 2056.3 Air and Space Transportation 2167 INFORMATION 2297.1 Observation 2297.2 Records 2387.3 Communication 2507.4 Information Tools 2598 GOOD LIFE 2818.1 Party and Play 2828.2 Luxury 2948.3 Arts 3049 FUTURE CHALLENGES 3199.1 Future Needs and Opportunities 3199.2 Future Sources of Inventions 325INDEX 333