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 Bikini
Louis Reard wasn't the typical automobile engineer, and his Stuff ...
Louis Reard wasn't the typical automobile engineer, and his Stuff of Genius has nothing to do with cars. Tune in and learn how an otherwise mild-mannered inventor created one of history's most iconic -- and controversial -- pieces of swimwear.
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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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How Rudolf Diesel Changed the World
Born in 1858, Rudolf Diesel was fascinated by engines from ...
Born in 1858, Rudolf Diesel was fascinated by engines from a young age. However, the engines of the time were incredibly inefficient -- at least, that is, until Rudolf's Stuff of Genius struck. Tune in to learn more.
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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 episode.
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How Willis Carrier Made the World a Little Cooler
When Willis Carrier set out to solve inking problems for ...
When Willis Carrier set out to solve inking problems for a local printing press, he didn't set out to change the world. Luckily for us, he did. Tune in and learn the story behind the modern air conditioning unit in this episode.
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Mr. Warren and the Black Box
Nowadays flight recorders are a mandatory piece of equipment for ...
Nowadays flight recorders are a mandatory piece of equipment for all commercial planes -- but why? Tune in and learn more about black box recorders, as well as the genius behind them, in this episode.
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How William Burroughs Made It All Add Up
Although numerous inventors had devised adding machines of some sort, ...
Although numerous inventors had devised adding machines of some sort, William Seward Burroughs invented the first practical calculator. Tune in to learn more about his Stuff of Genius in this episode.
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Whitcomb Judson and the Amazing Zipper
Nowadays zippers are everywhere -- they're faster than buttons, convenient ...
Nowadays zippers are everywhere -- they're faster than buttons, convenient and reliable. But where did they come from? Tune in and learn more about Whitcomb Judson's stuff of genius in this episode.
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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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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.
