The Stuff of Genius
Have you ever had an idea that seemed crazy -- maybe crazy enough to work? Every invention starts out as an idea, and it only takes a bit of genius to make it reality. See how some of the greatest inventions were brought to life ...
Have you ever had an idea that seemed crazy -- maybe crazy enough to work? Every invention starts out as an idea, and it only takes a bit of genius to make it reality. See how some of the greatest inventions were brought to life in The Stuff of Genius from HowStuffWorks.com. When George de Mestral and his dog set out on a leisurely mountain stroll, they returned covered in burrs. Learn how an afternoon walk inspired the creation of Velcro in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
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Edward Budding, the Father of the Lawnmower
Before 1830, trimming a lawn was time-consuming and difficult. At ...
Before 1830, trimming a lawn was time-consuming and difficult. At least, that is, until a fabric-shaving machine inspired Edward Budding to invent the lawnmower -- and save future landscapers from countless hours of hacking at the ground with scythes.
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The Man Behind The Metronome
Today metronomes are a fairly common sight in music halls ...
Today metronomes are a fairly common sight in music halls and studios around the world. But who invented them? Tune in to learn more.
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Hugh Bradner and the Wetsuit
Today wetsuits are considered essential equipment for most divers -- ...
Today wetsuits are considered essential equipment for most divers -- but this wasn't always the case. Tune in to learn how a brilliant physicist created the Stuff of (underwater) Genius.
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Philip Diehl and the Ceiling Fan
Originally born in Germany, Philip Diehl immigrated to the US ...
Originally born in Germany, Philip Diehl immigrated to the US in 1868. Although he has several fascinating inventions to his name, the ceiling fan remains his most well-known innovation. Tune in to learn more.
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The Rise and Fall of Zeppelin's Airship
When the German aristocrat Ferdinand Zeppelin traveled to the U.S. ...
When the German aristocrat Ferdinand Zeppelin traveled to the U.S. during the Civil War, an unexpected encounter with Thaddeus S.C. Lowe's aviation experiments changed his life. Tune in to learn more about the rise and fall of the Zeppelin airship.
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Christopher Cockerell and the Hovercraft
Christopher came from a smart family, and he was no ...
Christopher came from a smart family, and he was no exception to the rule. Tune in to learn how the purchase of a marina inspired this engineer to build something that's not quite a boat, and not quite a plane -- but certainly the Stuff of Genius.
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The Computer Mouse
Before Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse, computers received input through ...
Before Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse, computers received input through typed commands -- but that all changed once this handy pointer hit the scene. Learn more about Engelbart's Stuff of Genius in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
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Norman Borlaug's Super Wheat
Norman Borlaug spent most of his life fighting world hunger ...
Norman Borlaug spent most of his life fighting world hunger and led the effort to grow more productive, disease-resistant wheat strains. Learn more about The Stuff of Genius in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
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Philo Farnsworth and Television
When Philo Farnsworth was just fourteen years old, he had ...
When Philo Farnsworth was just fourteen years old, he had an epiphany that changed his life -- and ours. Tune in and learn how this former sharecropper created the modern television in The Stuff of Genius, a video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
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Revolution: Theophilus Kannel and the Revolving Door
Today, revolving doors are a common sight in large buildings ...
Today, revolving doors are a common sight in large buildings across the world -- but how did they get here? This episode ... wait for it ... revolves around Theo Kannel and his astonishing Stuff of Genius.
