Inventions History

The secrets of science meet the drama of the high seas. Amir D. Aczel - the distinguished science writer behind God's Equation and Mystery of the Aleph - turns detective as he uncovers the fascinating story of the invention of the compass.

If you're Irish American or African American or Eastern European Jewish American, there's a rich literature to give you a sense of your family's arrival-in-America story. Until now, that hasn't been the case for Chinese Americans. From noted historian Mae Ngai, The Lucky Ones uncovers the three-generational saga of the Tape family. It's a sweeping story centered on patriarch Jeu Dips' (Joseph Tapes') self-invention as an immigration broker in post-gold rush San Francisco, and the extraordinary rise it enables.

From its humble beginnings in Japan to its popularity around the world, this book delves into the fascinating story of how conveyor belt sushi has become a global culinary sensation.

Sneakers grew out of efforts to make more durable, more comfortable shoes—and became a major link between sports and fashion. Their sales rose with the popularity of tennis and exploded along with basketball, leading to celebrity endorsements, big-name brands, and continued technological breakthroughs. In the twenty-first century, sneakers are still evolving, along with "sneaker influencer" social media, smart tech, and other hot new trends.

What do libraries, streetlights, and fire stations have in common? What about bifocal lenses and the odometer? Sayings like "haste makes waste?" Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents: a scientist who experimented with electricity; a diplomat who served as envoy to France and negotiated peace with England; a mapmaker, printer, and writer famous for his Poor Richard's Almanack.

What determines what we eat today? Who decides what ends up on our dinner tables tomorrow? And what are the real origins of our favorite foods? Tom Hillenbrand takes readers on a fast-paced journey through the culinary history of the world—from the campfires of many thousands of years ago to the invention of corn to the hamburgers of the future. Filled with astonishing insights and surprising connections, Hillenbrand's essay is a highly entertaining and thought-provoking portrayal of what lies behind the food we consume every day.

A possible genius, a smidgen of madness, a twist of science, and an invention that very nearly changed the world - all collide in a giddy, unbelievably true mystery set in turn-of-the-century Paris.

It was early February 1912, and Franz Reichelt, a Paris tailor, and Rodman Law, a self-described “professional jackass” from New York, were poised, respectively, on the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, ready to deploy an experimental parachute. In bat wings and bundled linen, they were almost certain their contraptions would work. Here is the tale of their inspirations and their pluck - and what happened next.

My Tank Is Fight! contains a humorous and exciting examination of 20 real inventions from World War II that never saw the light of day. Each entry includes full technical details, a complete development history, in-depth analysis, and a riveting fictionalized account of the invention's success or failure on the battlefield.

When Jesus sent 70 disciples on ahead of him, part of their mission was to heal the sick. In fact, they were supposed to heal the sick before they preached the Gospel. Best-selling author Mike Aquilina calls this command the healing imperative. And it's an imperative that ushered in the world of modern medicine. In The Healing Imperative: The Early Church and the Invention of Medicine as We Know It, Aquilina reconstructs the fascinating history of a uniquely Christian institution: the hospital.

The gentrification of Brooklyn has been one of the most striking developments in recent urban history. Considered one of the city's most notorious industrial slums in the 1940s and 1950s, Brownstone Brooklyn by the 1980s had become a post-industrial landscape of hip bars, yoga studios, and beautifully renovated, wildly expensive townhouses. In The Invention of Brownstone Brooklyn, Suleiman Osman offers a groundbreaking history of this unexpected transformation.

Sure, almost all kids know Benjamin Franklin as one of America's Founding Fathers, a man with a hand in both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. And they may even have some vague idea that he once flew a kite during a lightning storm. What Kathleen Krull sets out to do in this very different biography is show Ben Franklin as the natural philosopher (the term for scientists back in the 1700s), whose experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity - including his famous demonstration that electricity and lightning were one and the same.

Discover the extraordinary stories behind everyday things! Did you know that the ice cream sundae was invented because of a law forbidding the sale of ice cream on Sundays? Or that the first motorcycle was really just a tricycle with a motor? Would you believe that Mickey Mouse started out as a rabbit? Arranged in alphabetical order, this fascinating book is packed with the stories behind these and over 100 more inventions.

Von den bescheidenen Anfängen in Japan bis hin zu seiner weltweiten Beliebtheit - dieses Buch erzählt die faszinierende Geschichte, wie Sushi am Fließband zu einer globalen kulinarischen Sensation wurde.

Préparez-vous à vous régaler les yeux et les papilles en découvrant l'incroyable voyage des sushis sur tapis roulant avec L'histoire des sushis sur tapis roulant : De l'invention au phénomène international ! Depuis ses humbles débuts au Japon jusqu'à sa popularité mondiale, ce livre retrace l'histoire fascinante de la façon dont les sushis sur tapis roulant sont devenus une sensation culinaire mondiale.

Entering World War II, America was emerging as a world power. Their geographic isolation from World War I allowed them to recover and prosper in the interwar era, and food invention during the Depression carried into World War II. Food items such as SPAM and M&Ms profoundly impacted the military, and were later incorporated into some American dishes after the war.

Practical guide showing inventors how to develop, prototype, protect, and market their inventions. Bob is an engineer with over 25 years experience developing and marketing products. He used his corporate and entrepreneurial experience to develop this step-by-step guide to help fellow inventors develop their products using a "boot strapping" approach. This helps inventors to successfully develop and market their inventions without breaking the bank.

Tech is everywhere! Learn more about the innovators who created the technology world. These innovators are women, people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are ready to be recognized.

With X-rays, doctors detect problems human eyes can't see. X-rays are a form of invisible radiation. This powerful medical technology helps experts look inside the body and even treat illnesses. But early on, X-rays caused harm too, as people used them without enough protection. This history covers the discovery of X-rays, the development of safety standards, and the rise of more powerful and precise X-ray machines. Find out how modern doctors create digital images of the inner body—even 3D images of our brains!

The inspiring true story of Loïe Fuller, a radical 19th-century art nouveau icon who turned artificial light into performance art and became the incandescent inventor of modern dance, is revealed in this transportive and hypnotic historical narrative.