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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The Modern Seatbelt
Before Nils Bohlin created the modern seatbelt, he designed ejection ...
Before Nils Bohlin created the modern seatbelt, he designed ejection seats for Saab aircraft. Learn how Nils' Stuff of Genius changed the world -- and saved millions of lives -- in this episode.
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The Taser
As a leading physicist at NASA, Jack Cover already had ...
As a leading physicist at NASA, Jack Cover already had a few achievements under his belt. Yet his Stuff of Genius was something completely unrelated. Tune in and learn how a fateful encounter with an electric fence led to the taser in this episode.
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Edward Jenner vs. Smallpox
Although forms of vaccination had been discovered thousands of years ...
Although forms of vaccination had been discovered thousands of years ago in Asia and Africa, Western Europeans didn't pick up on it until Edward Jenner turned an old wives' tale into the Stuff of Genius. Tune in and learn more in this episode.
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WD-40
Norm Larsen started with a simple idea: If water causes ...
Norm Larsen started with a simple idea: If water causes rust, then a substance that displaces water can prevent rust. Sure, his first thirty-nine tries didn't work out -- but the last one was pure genius. Tune in and learn more.
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Momofuku Ando: The Father of Instant Noodles
Momofuku Ando didn't set out to create noodle bowls, but ...
Momofuku Ando didn't set out to create noodle bowls, but the former textile company owner had an epiphany while watching a line of hungry people waiting for food. Tune in to learn what led him from garments to instant noodles.
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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.
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Daniel Fahrenheit and the Mercury Thermometer
Daniel Fahrenheit built several types of thermometers, but his Stuff ...
Daniel Fahrenheit built several types of thermometers, but his Stuff of Genius wasn't restricted to a few temperature measuring devices. Tune in and learn how Daniel Fahrenheit invented the system that bears his name today.
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The Braille Story
Learn how Louis Braille invented the system that sparked Helen ...
Learn how Louis Braille invented the system that sparked Helen Keller to say, “we the blind are as indebted to Louis Braille as mankind is to Gutenberg.”
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Robert Cade and the Amazing Sports Drink
When a local football coach asked Robert Cade to help ...
When a local football coach asked Robert Cade to help hydrate his players, he set off on a journey to find the perfect sports drink. Tune in and learn more about Cade's Stuff of Genius in this episode.
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Crum's Crispy Potato Chips
Frustrated by a picky customer, cook George Crum fried up ...
Frustrated by a picky customer, cook George Crum fried up some paper-thin potato slices. Find out how George's revenge scheme went awry -- and how his potato chips became the Stuff of Genius -- in this episode.
