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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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. Tune in to learn how Arthur stumbled on his Stuff of Genius in this episode.
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Kevlar
When Stephanie Kwolek couldn't pursue a career in medicine, she ...
When Stephanie Kwolek couldn't pursue a career in medicine, she took a job as a research chemist. Tune in to learn how this unplanned career led to the Stuff of Genius that changed the world and saved thousands of lives.
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Cellophane
It's easy to take cellophane for granted, but without Jaques ...
It's easy to take cellophane for granted, but without Jaques Brandenberger we may have never discovered this biodegradable packaging. Learn how one man's quest for a stain-proof tablecloth changed in the world in this episode.
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James Russell and the Compact Disc
As an audiophile, James Russell loved his record collection despite ...
As an audiophile, James Russell loved his record collection despite the scratching and warping of vinyl. As an inventor, he knew there had to be a better way to play music. Learn more about his Stuff of Genius in this episode.
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Superglue
Everyone knows superglue can fix broken mugs and car models ...
Everyone knows superglue can fix broken mugs and car models -- but it's also strong enough to staunch bleeding wounds. Learn the amazing story behind Harry Coover's Stuff of Genius -- and its original use -- in this episode.
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The Artificial Heart
Robert Jarvik wasn't the first person to patent an artificial ...
Robert Jarvik wasn't the first person to patent an artificial heart, but his design was the first heart successfully implanted in a human patient. Tune in and learn how Jarvik's Stuff of Genius gave new hope to heart patients in this episode.
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The Wet Suit
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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Tape
It's easy to take tape for granted -- it's usually ...
It's easy to take tape for granted -- it's usually around when you need it, and you can buy it in numerous places. However, this wasn't always the case. Tune in and learn how Richard Drew's Stuff of Genius changed the world of adhesives in this episode.
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How Zhou Youguang Invented Pinyin
The Chinese language uses non-phonetic characters, which means that a ...
The Chinese language uses non-phonetic characters, which means that a reader can't tell how a word is pronounced by looking at its written form. For readers facing unfamiliar Chinese words, life was rough -- at least, that is, until Zhou Youguang.
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Ed Acheson and the Carborundum Condundrum
Although silicon carbide occurs in the natural world, it's extremely ...
Although silicon carbide occurs in the natural world, it's extremely rare. Tune in to learn how Edward Acheson got struck by inspiration and learned how to manufacture this substance, which he called carborundum.
