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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Frank Epperson and the Popsicle
Frank Epperson wasn't the typical inventor -- in fact, he ...
Frank Epperson wasn't the typical inventor -- in fact, he wasn't even old enough to drive when he invented the popsicle. Tune in and learn the story behind this Stuff of (Frozen) Genius.
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Sarah Goode and the Folding Bed
During a time when women were treated like second-class citizens ...
During a time when women were treated like second-class citizens and African-Americans were relentlessly persecuted, Sarah Goode built her own business from the ground up. Tune in to learn more about Sarah Goode and the folding cabinet bed.
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Larry, Sergey and the Stuff of Searching Genius
Today, Google is one of the world's most well-known, influential ...
Today, Google is one of the world's most well-known, influential companies. But how did it get its start? Tune in and learn how two Stanford graduate students took their Stuff of Genius from a garage to people across the globe.
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Napoleon and Canned Food: The Story of Nicolas Appert
Nowadays, canned food is everywhere -- but how did this ...
Nowadays, canned food is everywhere -- but how did this industry begin? Tune in to learn how Nicholas Appert discovered the principles used in canning food -- and why we have Napoleon to thank for this Stuff of Genius.
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Sweet Success: Daniel Peter and Milk Chocolate
Nowadays milk chocolate is everywhere, but this wasn't always the ...
Nowadays milk chocolate is everywhere, but this wasn't always the case. Tune in to learn more about Daniel Peter, who took bitter cocoa tablets and -- with loads of hard work and a neighbor named Nestle -- created the Stuff of (chocolate) Genius.
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Adolf Fick: Envisioning the Contact Lens
Today, contact lenses are used by people across the world. ...
Today, contact lenses are used by people across the world. But how did this billion-dollar industry get started? Tune in to learn how a German ophthalmologist created the Stuff of (Optical) Genius.
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Beneath the Surface of History: The Submarine
With loads of experiments and inventions under his belt, Cornelius ...
With loads of experiments and inventions under his belt, Cornelius Drebbel was a true Renaissance man. But one of his inventions was more useful than any other, even if England didn't think so at the time. Tune in and learn more about submarines.
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Esperanto: The L.L. Zamenhof Story
L.L. Zamenhof was fascinated by language from a young age. ...
L.L. Zamenhof was fascinated by language from a young age. He also believed the majority of human conflict arose from miscommunication. Tune in to learn how Zamenhof used his Stuff of Genius to build a universal language.
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No Ordinary Wire: The Joseph Glidden Story
Joseph Glidden was working as a sheriff when an interesting ...
Joseph Glidden was working as a sheriff when an interesting demonstration at a county fair piqued his interest. Tune in to learn how Joseph went from enforcing the law to building barbed wire in this podcast.
