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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Bioplastics: The Stuff of (Sustainable) Genius
Plastic is a ubiquitous and incredibly useful invention, but it ...
Plastic is a ubiquitous and incredibly useful invention, but it has some serious downsides. But what if plastics were biodegradable? Tune in to learn more about the evolution and advantages of bioplastics.
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Charles Drew and the Modern Blood Bank
Before the advent of the modern blood bank, blood could ...
Before the advent of the modern blood bank, blood could only be stored for about two days. Luckily, when Charles Drew began researching ways to prolong the usefulness of stored blood, his Stuff of Genius struck. Tune in and learn more in this episode.
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From Radars to Reheated Food: Percy Spencer and the Microwave
Today, microwave ovens are a common sight in kitchens across ...
Today, microwave ovens are a common sight in kitchens across the world -- but who invented them? Tune in to learn how Percy Spencer accidentally struck upon the Stuff of Microwaving Genius.
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Who invented the modern calendar?
Nowadays it's easy to take the calendar for granted -- ...
Nowadays it's easy to take the calendar for granted -- nations across the world have agreed that (for business purposes) each year is twelve months long. But how did we get this calendar in the first place? Tune in and find out.
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Al Gross and the Walkie-Talkie
When Al Gross was nine years old, he wandered into ...
When Al Gross was nine years old, he wandered into a steamboat's radio room while vacationing with his family. For the rest of his life he was fascinated by wireless communication. Tune in and learn more about Al's Stuff of Genius.
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Mary Phelps Jacob and the Modern Bra
Frustrated by the cumbersome and uncomfortable whalebone corsets common in ...
Frustrated by the cumbersome and uncomfortable whalebone corsets common in her time, Mary Phelps Jacob decided that something had to be done. Tune in and learn how her Stuff of Genius became one of the world's most popular undergarments in this podcast.
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Why are blueprints blue?
Before the days of copiers and electronic documents, duplicating documents ...
Before the days of copiers and electronic documents, duplicating documents was a time-consuming, arduous task. Learn how John Herschel's blueprints changed the face of the modern world -- and why they're blue -- in this podcast.
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How Arthur Arnot Electrified the Drill
When Arthur Arnot moved to Australia, drills had already been ...
When Arthur Arnot moved to Australia, drills had already been around for quite a while. Yet they were still hand-operated, slow and unwieldy. Listen in to learn how Arthur stumbled on his Stuff of Genius in this podcast.
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Chaz Holder and the (Modern) Prosthetic Limb
Prosthetic limbs have been around for thousands of years, but ...
Prosthetic limbs have been around for thousands of years, but they've usually been clumsy and expensive. Tune in and learn how Chaz Holder's Stuff of Genius made prosthetic limbs more affordable -- and more comfortable -- for people across the world.
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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.
