Inventions and inventors Books

Book SynopsisAmong the many treasures in the collections of the Science Museum in London is the complete workshop of the Scottish engineer James Watt (1736-1819), acquired in its entirety from the attic of Watt's Birmingham home in 1924, where it had been left as an industrial shrine since his death in 1819. Watt is best known for his pioneering work on the steam engine, but the workshop contains very few engine-related items. Instead, it is filled with jars of chemicals, sculpture-copying machines and materials, a profusion of instruments and objects and evidence of Watt's many diverse projects. Traditional biographies of Watt have concentrated on the steam engine, but Ben Russell tells a richer story, exploring the processes by which ephemeral ideas were transformed into tangible artefacts and the multifaceted world of production upon which Britain's industrial revolution depended. James Watt: Making the World Anew is a craft history of Britain's early industrial transformation as well as a prehistory of the engineering profession itself.It explores the motivation for making things, looking not only at what was produced but also why, drawing on a rich range of resources - not just archival material and biographies on Watt but also objects themselves, and sources from fields as diverse as ceramics, antique systems of proportion, sculpture and machine making. Generously illustrated, James Watt is a unique, expansive exploration of the engineer's life, not as an end in itself but as a lens through which the broader practices of making and manufacturing in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries can be explored.

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited reprint of an important illustrated reference work on the general history of the watch from 1500 to 1980. When Watches was first published in 1965 it quickly gained for itself a reputation as the foremost general history of the subject and, following the expanded edition in 1979 which covered recent years past 1830, this has remained unchallenged in horological history. In this long-awaited reprinted edition, collectors and horological students can again make use of the reference illustrations and history in this work as approached by the leading horology historians and clockmakers of the twentieth century. Clutton and Daniels write expertly on the vast history of watches, through the changing tastes and styles of collectors and makers, as well as imparting their own knowledge on various technical aspects within the watches. The expansive historical section encompasses both decorative and mechanical aspects of mid-sixteenth to late twentieth century watches, including those by George Daniels himself, detailing the rich history behind more modern designs and fascinations. These later years include a variety of semi-experimental escapements, as well as covering the development of the precision watch and work leading to it by Ferdinand Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy, discussed alongside John Arnold in England, to satisfy the technical-minded collector. Horology and collecting have grown with the changing technologies, and watches continue to be produced to an exceptional technological standard. Precision watches from the 1730-1930 period are covered in detail, as well as high standard Swiss and American watches of the last hundred years; these highly complicated watches benefit greatly from having both colour and mono illustrations to clarify the details. For a truly comprehensive understanding of escapements, photographs of these have been included alongside a critical approach to this essential mechanism. Since its first publication, Watches has provided an essential work of reference and history behind some of the most renowned minds and creations. Now reprinted for a new generation of collectors and students, and featuring over 600 illustrations, the technical and decorative elements of historical watches can be studied and enjoyed once more.Trade ReviewWatches is a truly wondrous publication, unlike anything produced before or since. Immensely readable and highly informative. * Horological Journal *From a technical standpoint the collection of close-up black and white photographs covering a wide range of escapements is fascinating as is the historical write-up of the twists and turns of their development. [...] To have all the major as well as some lesser known escapements depicted in one source is invaluable. [...] given the breadth and quality of this new edition I am sure that it will be the go-to reference source * The TimePiece (British Watch and Clock Makers' Guild) *Watches — A Complete History of the Technical and Decorative Development of the Watch is a book for anyone interested in this topic. It is a very detailed work by two of the most renewed experts on this subject. It is also just as valuable and useful today as it was decades ago. -- Balázs Ferenczi * Fratello *It is quite simply the only decent book encapsulating the history of the pocket watch that has ever been written [...] this edition is a beautiful and faithful reproduction of the heavily revised 1979 edition. -- Ben Wright, Antiques Road Show watch and clock expert * Antiquarian Horology *Table of ContentsForeword by Jonathan Betts Preface Colour Plates HISTORICAL Mechanical 1500-1750 The invention of watches Fusee and stackfreed The movement and its decoration up to 1675 Mean time regulation before the balance spring General characteristics and national styles The balance spring 1675-1700 The movement 1675-1700 The movement 1700-1750 Decoration of the movement 1675-1700 The beginnings of the precision watch and the modern watch The formative years of the precision watch John Harrison Pierre Le Roy Ferdinand Berthoud John Arnold Thomas Mudge Josiah Emery Abraham-Louis Breguet Thomas Earnshaw The birth of the modern watch: Lepine and Breguet The development of the watch since 1800 Decorative Types of decoration Enamel Style of watch cases and dials up to 1750 Some unusual forms of dial Styles of watch cases and dials 1750-1830 Performance of early watches TECHNICAL Introduction Shock-proofing Tourbillons Escapements Verge Cylinder Virgule Duplex Chronometer ‘Échappement naturel’ Lever Robin Debaufre Fasoldt J. F. Cole rotary detent Repeaters Clock-watches Self-winding watches Stop-watches and chronographs Monochrome plates APPENDIX Biographical notes Glossary of technical terms Bibliography Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisIn this long-awaited reprint - first published in 1967 - the late George Daniels, a master watchmaker of the twentieth century, documents the important contribution made by England and America in the development of the pocket watch from the earliest times to late 1960s America. Daniels tells of the sequence of technical developments that led to the production of electric and electronic watches. It is a fascinating story for all who appreciate not only a watch's technical niceties but also the intrinsic beauty with which devoted craftsmen endowed it. Mr Daniels' concise, learned account, which places each phase of the story in its true perspective, will be found indispensable both by collectors and by those new to the history of watchmaking. Over a hundred photographs together with a series of clear line drawings, emphasise the watchmakers' achievement in marrying pure function and beauty, and at the same time illustrate the changes in movements that accompanied progress in external a

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Book SynopsisMany people know that Albert Einstein was a brilliant theoretical physicist who revolutionised modern science. What they may not know is that he only learnt to speak at four years old; that he was asked to become the President of Israel in 1952, but refused; or that he was under FBI surveillance for 22 years. This book presents an instant impression of his life with 50 irresistible facts converted into infographics to reveal the scientist behind the science.

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Book SynopsisMany people know that Tesla was a scientific genius, instrumental in developing modern electricity and communications. What, perhaps, they don’t know is that he was born during a lightning storm; spoke eight languages; and claimed to have invented a death ray that could destroy 10,000 planes from 250 miles away. This book presents an electrifying exploration of his life, work and fame, with 50 irresistible facts converted into infographics to reveal the scientist behind the science.

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Book SynopsisBased on the paradigms of economics and management, inspired by the history of technology and the sociology of technological change, the concepts of shared inventions and competitive innovations make it possible to analyze the industrialization of the world in a fresh and efficient way. As a new approach, shared inventions are classified in this book as a set of existing knowledge that�s often associated with the rediscovery of old techniques. Determining capitalized and collective intelligence, this knowledge and reinvention allows us to create inventions which will be shared, first in their construction, then in their use. Another new approach is that these competitive innovations are defined in World Industrialization by associations of experiences of competitively-motivated actors – actors seeking to complement existing techniques by increasing their competitive power. These shared inventions and competitive innovations will also be defined by trajectories identifying their modes of creation, enabling us to overcome the peculiarities of these actions and competitions. This book also highlights four key areas in global industrialization: the emergence of machinism with the defense of Arts and Crafts from 1698–1760; the changes the Industrial Revolution wrought in developed nations from 1760–1850; the link between technology and social relations within modern companies from 1850–1914; and, from 1914 onwards, the birth of extended machinism, its world wars and its global crises.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Introduction xiii Part 1 Industrialization and its Conceptualizations 1 Introduction to Part 1 3 Chapter 1 The Notion of Industrialization and Other Related Notions 5 1.1 The notion of industrialization 5 1.1.1 The birth of the notion of industrialization 5 1.1.2 Industrialization according to economists 8 1.1.3 Industrialization according to management sciences 18 1.1.4 Sociologies of technology and knowledge 20 1.1.5 Industrialization according to technological historians 21 1.1.6 The objectives of histories of technology 23 1.1.7 The different histories of technology 28 1.1.8 The synthesis of these contributions: continuity or discontinuity? 35 1.2 The links between industrialization, technological revolutions and machinism 37 1.2.1 Industrialization and industrial revolutions 37 1.2.2 Industrialization and the various revolutions 38 1.2.3 Industrialization and machinism 38 Chapter 2 Social Dynamics, Shared Inventions and Competitive Innovations 41 2.1 Social dynamics 42 2.1.1 The glorification of arts and crafts: from guilds to arts and crafts communities 43 2.1.2 The defense and glory of nations 47 2.1.3 The links between technology, social relations and people at work 48 2.2 Evolution of the notions of technological change, invention and innovation 50 2.2.1 Technological changes and the temptation of symbols and representations 50 2.2.2 The ambiguities of the notion of invention 51 2.2.3 The enigmas of innovation 52 2.2.4 The end of the technological change/invention/innovation triangle? 53 2.3 Shared inventions 55 2.3.1 From the sharing of inventions to shared inventions 55 2.3.2 The first definitions of shared inventions 56 2.3.3 A definition of shared inventions 57 2.3.4 The trajectories of shared inventions 59 2.4 Competitive innovations 60 2.4.1 The first definitions of competitive innovations 60 2.4.2 The competition principles adopted 61 2.4.3 The trajectories of competitive innovations 62 Part 2 Historical Periods, Social Dynamics, Shared Inventions and Competitive Innovations 65 Introduction to Part 2 67 Chapter 3 1698–1760 or the Emergence of Machinism 69 3.1 The situation in 1698 69 3.1.1 Major changes in social relations, religions and manufactories 69 3.1.2 Manufactories and the organization of work in France and England 71 3.1.3 New models of manufactory organization 72 3.1.4 Performance of manufactories versus development of nations 73 3.1.5 Statement of account 74 3.2 1698–1760: industrialization and major changes 75 3.2.1 Conflicts between religions and the economy 75 3.2.2 Conflicts between nations 76 3.2.3 The willingness of governments to enact change in public affairs 76 3.3 The precursors and inventions of steam engines 77 3.3.1 The era of the Enlightenment and other imaginative inventors 77 3.3.2 The appearance of the true inventors 78 3.4 Steam engines and shared inventions 79 3.4.1 The first steam engine and its first patent 79 3.4.2 The first sharing of steam engines 81 3.5 Coke metallurgy 83 3.5.1 Reinventions 83 3.5.2 The search for substitutes 83 3.5.3 The invention of puddling 85 3.6 Sharing around the inventions of the textile industry 87 3.6.1 Weaving and the fly-shuttle 87 3.6.2 Perforated ribbons and weaving machines 87 3.7 “Printed cotton indiennes” or copies of inventions and the organization of factories 88 3.7.1 Sectoral characteristics of the shared inventions of this period 91 3.7.2 Strong tensions 93 Chapter 4 1760–1850 or the Industrial Revolution and its Competitive Innovations 95 4.1 The transition from the emergence of machinism and its shared inventions to the Industrial Revolution and its competitive innovations 95 4.2 The Industrial Revolution and competitive innovations (1760–1850) 96 4.2.1 Competitive innovations 97 4.2.2 The contradictions of the steam engine industry 98 4.2.3 The contradictions of the textile sector 100 4.2.4 The inescapable contradictions of machine tool production 103 4.3 1851: an inventory? 104 Chapter 5 1850–1914 or the New Shared Inventions and the Birth of the Modern Large Company 107 5.1 The invention of the modern large company 107 5.2 Precursors 109 5.2.1 The “ébauches” of Frédéric Japy (1771) 109 5.2.2 Oliver Evans’ “endless mill” (1784) 110 5.2.3 Honoré Blanc’s rifles and the Springfield Armory (1790, 1819) 110 5.2.4 Thomas Tassel-Grant’s “sea biscuits” (1830) 111 5.2.5 The inventions of Mr Johann Georg Bodmer (1833 onwards) 111 5.3 The Singer Manufacturing Company and the Civil War uniforms 111 5.3.1 The sewing machine, its invention and innovations 111 5.3.2 The true birth of the sewing machine can be traced from 1849 to 1850 113 5.3.3 The sewing machine and the organization of the company 114 5.4 The Chicago Yards and their integrated slaughterhouses 115 5.4.1 The actors involved in the creation of Union Stock Yards 116 5.4.2 The operating modes of the Union Stock Yards 119 5.5 The Swiss example 121 5.6 An almost totally invented inauguration and improbable analyses 122 5.7 The management of these shared inventions 125 5.7.1 The invention of the commercialization of products 125 5.7.2 The invention of marketing 126 5.7.3 Labor and employee management 127 5.7.4 The importance of the links between management tools and shared inventions 129 Chapter 6 1914 or the Birth of Extended Machinism 131 6.1 Major changes in social dynamics 131 6.1.1 World wars 131 6.1.2 The increasing number of crises 131 6.1.3 Profound changes in terms of social dynamics 132 6.2 Large shared inventions combined with competitive innovations 134 6.2.1 The irresistible growth of electricity 134 6.2.2 The extraordinary growth of gas and oil 136 6.2.3 Maritime and air transport 137 6.2.4 Metallurgy 137 6.2.5 Machine tools 139 6.2.6 Chemistry 140 6.2.7 Agriculture 140 6.2.8 Lifestyles 141 6.2.9 Computing and the reinvention of calculating machines 143 6.2.10 Automation 146 Conclusion 149 References 157 Index 171

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Book SynopsisPockets, matches, spectacles, postage stamps. Whether it's the stitches that hold our clothes together or the syringes that deliver life-saving vaccines, small things really do make a big difference. Yet these modest but essential components of everyday life are often overlooked.Science and comedy writer Helen Pilcher shares the unexpected stories of 50 humble innovations – from the accidental soldering of two bits of metal that created the pacemaker, to the eighteenth-century sea captain whose ingenious invention paved the way for the filming of Star Wars – and celebrates the joy of the small yet mighty.Table of ContentsPigment • flint (firestarter) • sewing needle • fish-hook • gnomon • brick • stirrup • pencil • tin cans • postage stamp • ball bearings • mail order catalogue • paperclip • safety pin • safety match • spark plug • zip • credit card • Velcro • tampon • teabag • button • toilet paper • condom • deodorant • sliced bread • keys • Penicillin • Post-it notes • and more.

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Book SynopsisWhat is the impact of surveillance capitalism on our right to free speech? The Internet once promised to be a place of extraordinary freedom beyond the control of money or politics, but today corporations and platforms exercise more control over our ability to access information and share knowledge to a greater extent than any state. From the online calls to arms in the thick of the Arab Spring to the contemporary front line of misinformation, Jillian York charts the war over our digital rights. She looks at both how the big corporations have become unaccountable censors, and the devastating impact it has had on those who have been censored. In Silicon Values, leading campaigner Jillian York, looks at how our rights have become increasingly undermined by the major corporations desire to harvest our personal data and turn it into profit. She also looks at how governments have used the same technology to monitor citizens and threatened our ability to communicate. As a result our daily lives, and private thoughts, are being policed in an unprecedented manner. Who decides the difference between political debate and hate speech? How does this impact on our identity, our ability to create communities and to protest? Who regulates the censors? In response to this threat to our democracy, York proposes a user-powered movement against the platforms that demands change and a new form of ownership over our own data.Trade Reviewone of the leading scholars on Internet control and censorship. * Boston Globe *The Internet has never been the utopia of free and equal expression its ideologues would have us believe it is. Jillian York's vivid reportage shows us that the power to determine who gets to use it to speak, and under what circumstances, is now more concentrated - and less accountable - than ever before. -- Adam Greenfield, author of Radical TechnologiesFor years, Jillian York has been at the forefront of defending freedom of expression online. Her new book unpacks how Silicon Valley corporations have gained more control over speech than the most ambitious of governments and how ill-prepared they often are to use that power in ways that are just and fair. Entertaining, deeply informative and often very personal, Jillian's journey into the world of online speech reflects on deep questions about how we should treat one another and who makes rules for societies in our digital world. -- Ethan Zuckerman, Associate Professor, UMass Amherst and co-founder Global VoicesJillian C. York gives us a personal, relevant, and accessible reflection on how our world has become governed by Silicon Valley. She takes us on an enjoyable journey from San Francisco to Tunis to Cairo to Berlin to trace the change from the early belief in maximizing free speech shared by the big tech platforms and we, the people, alike to the increasing policies of surveillance and control exercised by the platforms (and encouraged by most governments) that makes the struggle for free expression a much more demanding battle. Her conclusions offer hope and guidance as to what we need to do, not just for the sake of free speech but for the freedom to shape our very identity and agency." -- Rasha Abdulla, Professor of Mass Communication at The American University in Cairo, and author of The Internet in the Arab World: Egypt and Beyond.An incisive and compelling read that places Silicon Valley'splatforms and policies in a global context. York knows this terrain intimately,and she takes us to the key battlegrounds that have shaped content moderation,internet governance, and the political economies of online expression. -- Kate Crawford, author of Atlas of AI[Silicon Values] casts a wide-enough net over relevant topics and examples to be richly informative, while still managing to be straightforward in its style. York offers a solid entry point for those who have been following ongoing issues relating to the intersection of politics and technology." -- Jesse A. Lambertson * Library Journal *Silicon Values traces the haphazard and chaotic creation of the speech principles that now govern the platforms billions of us use to communicate every day ... York's book drags us back to the early, heady days of social media's inception. -- Laurie Clarke * New Statesman *Personal, hands-on expertise makes for some gripping tales, penetrating insight and persuasive advocacy . an important study of free speech under these pervasive social media platforms . full of energy and needed insight -- Karlin Lillington * Irish Times *Simple, but not simplistic. In this book, the result of more than ten years of work in the field, York travels the world to pick out the most significant cases that show how the decisions made in the tiny Silicon Valley area of California play out on the ground -- Wendy M Grossman * ZDNet *Silicon Values is a trenchant critique of how platform censorship is enabled by surveillance capitalism ... In an area that doesn't lend itself to simple solutions, York's insights lay an important foundation for ongoing intelligent discussion of the topic. -- Prostasia FoundationTimely and trenchant . . .York, who for many years has been international activism director at the Electronic Freedom Foundation, certainly knows her stuff. Her proposals for change, however, are clear and democratic, arguing for independent content moderation, social inclusion, and a user-powered movement against the handful of American men who currently run the show from Silicon Valley. * New International *Timely and trenchant ... [York's] proposals for change ... are clear and democratic -- Vanessa Baird * New Internationalist *

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Book SynopsisThe Internet once promised to be a place of extraordinary freedom beyond the control of money or politics, but today corporations and platforms exercise more control over our ability to access information and share knowledge to a greater extent than any state. In Silicon Values, leading campaigner Jillian York, looks at how our rights have become increasingly undermined by the major corporations desire to harvest our personal data and turn it into profit. She also looks at how governments have used the same technology to monitor citizens and threatened our ability to communicate. As a result our daily lives, and private thoughts, are being policed in an unprecedented manner. Who decides the difference between political debate and hate speech? How does this impact on our identity, our ability to create communities and to protest? Who regulates the censors? In response to this threat to our democracy, York proposes a user-powered movement against the platforms that demands change and a new form of ownership over our own data.Trade Reviewone of the leading scholars on Internet control and censorship. * Boston Globe *The Internet has never been the utopia of free and equal expression its ideologues would have us believe it is. Jillian York's vivid reportage shows us that the power to determine who gets to use it to speak, and under what circumstances, is now more concentrated - and less accountable - than ever before. -- Adam Greenfield, author of Radical TechnologiesFor years, Jillian York has been at the forefront of defending freedom of expression online. Her new book unpacks how Silicon Valley corporations have gained more control over speech than the most ambitious of governments and how ill-prepared they often are to use that power in ways that are just and fair. Entertaining, deeply informative and often very personal, Jillian's journey into the world of online speech reflects on deep questions about how we should treat one another and who makes rules for societies in our digital world. -- Ethan Zuckerman, Associate Professor, UMass Amherst and co-founder Global VoicesJillian C. York gives us a personal, relevant, and accessible reflection on how our world has become governed by Silicon Valley. She takes us on an enjoyable journey from San Francisco to Tunis to Cairo to Berlin to trace the change from the early belief in maximizing free speech shared by the big tech platforms and we, the people, alike to the increasing policies of surveillance and control exercised by the platforms (and encouraged by most governments) that makes the struggle for free expression a much more demanding battle. Her conclusions offer hope and guidance as to what we need to do, not just for the sake of free speech but for the freedom to shape our very identity and agency." -- Rasha Abdulla, Professor of Mass Communication at The American University in Cairo, and author of The Internet in the Arab World: Egypt and Beyond.An incisive and compelling read that places Silicon Valley'splatforms and policies in a global context. York knows this terrain intimately,and she takes us to the key battlegrounds that have shaped content moderation,internet governance, and the political economies of online expression. -- Kate Crawford, author of Atlas of AI[Silicon Values] casts a wide-enough net over relevant topics and examples to be richly informative, while still managing to be straightforward in its style. York offers a solid entry point for those who have been following ongoing issues relating to the intersection of politics and technology." -- Jesse A. Lambertson * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisWhat incredible innovations have changed the course of history? From rudimentary metalwork to 3-D printing, human ingenuity has set us apart from other animals on earth. Great Breakthroughs in Technology explores man''s most ingenious inventions and how they have solved some of life''s most pressing challenges. In this highly illustrated, full-colour hardback, Robert Snedden takes the reader on a chronological journey from our creation of fire to robots and artificial intelligence. Each chapter opens with a helpful overview and timeline of events, introducing remarkable inventors and their creations. Includes: • Clockwork • Flight • Steam Engines • The Printing Press • Nuclear Power • The Internet Featuring useful timelines, text boxes and diagrams, this lavishly illustrated reference book is the perfect overview for anyone interested in the ingenuity of the human race and the possibilities of the future... ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Publishing''s Great Breakthroughs series provides lavishly illustrated and highly accessible introductions different scientific fields. Each title maps a history of a discipline through the its central breakthroughs and the scientists which have changed the world.

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Book SynopsisJames Watt (1736-1819) was a pivotal figure of the Industrial Revolution. His career as a scientific instrument maker, inventor and engineer was developed in Scotland, his land of birth. His subsequent national and international significance as a scientist, technologist and businessman was formed in the Birmingham area. There, his partnership with Matthew Boulton and the intellectual and personal support of other members of the Lunar Society network, such as Erasmus Darwin, James Keir, William Small and Josiah Wedgwood, enabled him to translate his improvements in steam technology into efficient machines. His pumping and rotative steam engines represent a summit of technological achievement in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. This is the traditional picture of James Watt. After his death, his surviving son, James Watt junior projected his father’s image through commissioning sculptures, medals, paintings and biographies which celebrated his reputation as a ‘great man’ of the Industrial Revolution. In popular historical understanding Watt has also become a hero of modernity, but the context in which he operated and the roles of others in shaping his ideas have been downplayed. This book explores new aspects of his work and evaluates him in his locational, family, social and intellectual contexts.Trade ReviewReviews 'High quality chapters, convincingly argued and clearly written, offering new insights into Watt's life and work.’Professor Christine MacLeod, University of Bristol‘Two pivotal chapters demonstrate the close and strategic attention that Watt paid to his extensive correspondence.’ Christine MacLeod, Midland History 'Distinguished investigators and newer researchers together illustrate the state of the field concerning James Watt. Interesting and definitive… this book [is] indispensable for buff and researcher alike.'Barbara Hahn, English Historical Review'This book [is] indispensable for buff and researcher alike.' Barbara Hahn, English Historical Review

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Book SynopsisJames Watt (1736-1819) was a pivotal figure of the Industrial Revolution. His career as a scientific instrument maker, inventor and engineer was developed in Scotland, his land of birth. His subsequent national and international significance as a scientist, technologist and businessman was formed in the Birmingham area. There, his partnership with Matthew Boulton and the intellectual and personal support of other members of the Lunar Society network, such as Erasmus Darwin, James Keir, William Small and Josiah Wedgwood, enabled him to translate his improvements in steam technology into efficient machines. His pumping and rotative steam engines represent a summit of technological achievement in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. This is the traditional picture of James Watt. After his death, his surviving son, James Watt junior projected his father’s image through commissioning sculptures, medals, paintings and biographies which celebrated his reputation as a ‘great man’ of the Industrial Revolution. In popular historical understanding Watt has also become a hero of modernity, but the context in which he operated and the roles of others in shaping his ideas have been downplayed. This book explores new aspects of his work and evaluates him in his locational, family, social and intellectual contexts.Trade ReviewReviews 'High quality chapters, convincingly argued and clearly written, offering new insights into Watt's life and work.’Professor Christine MacLeod, University of Bristol‘Two pivotal chapters demonstrate the close and strategic attention that Watt paid to his extensive correspondence.’ Christine MacLeod, Midland History 'Distinguished investigators and newer researchers together illustrate the state of the field concerning James Watt. Interesting and definitive… this book [is] indispensable for buff and researcher alike.'Barbara Hahn, English Historical Review'This book [is] indispensable for buff and researcher alike.' Barbara Hahn, English Historical Review

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Book SynopsisWhat exactly is White Elephant Technology?White Elephant Technology is any unusual invention past or present that fails in the marketplace despite its innovative nature. From jeeps that fly to tanks that shouldn’t; from a wave-powered boat that took over three months to reach its destination to a jet-powered train that shook itself apart, White Elephant Technology showcases each inventor’s talent for creating something nobody asked for. Importantly, none of these inventions are speculative. Each one was built, field tested and worked more or less as planned (except when it killed its creator).Although success is highly prized, failure has a lot to teach us, especially when you realise it’s the rule and not the exception. Still, no one has undertaken a survey of failed inventions despite history being littered with them … until now. White Elephant Technology corrects this oversight in an entertaining, respectful and occasionally humorous manner, proving that failure is not only as fascinating as success but is also the purest expression of the human condition.Trade Review‘I read this book and loved it! There were so many inventions I’d never heard of. I only wish I’d read it before I started my museum.’ -- Dr Samuel West * Founder, Museum of Failure *'White Elephant Technology is a fascinating look at the wild, wacky, and downright weird contraptions concocted by inventors who couldn't leave well enough alone. Flying tanks, flying bikes, flying cars, swimming cars, train-planes, plane-trains, even a rail Zeppelin. They're dissected with a wit so dry you can almost hear the hapless tinkerers as they utter "Back to the drawing board.' -- Stuart Elliot * former New York Times columnist *

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Book SynopsisOur world can be pretty weird. If you do not believe us, come and see these interesting inventions for yourself!

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Book SynopsisOur world can be pretty weird. If you do not believe us, come and see this surprising science for yourself!

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered how we have so many amazing inventions? Many inventions just started out as an idea. This series explores some of the most important inventions throughout history and takes a look at the brilliant people whose big ideas gave us lots of the things that we take for granted today.

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Book Synopsis***THE INSPIRATION FOR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S NEW FILM OPPENHEIMER***THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR NONFICTION'Reads like a thriller, gripping and terrifying' Sunday TimesPhysicist and polymath, as familiar with Hindu scriptures as he was with quantum mechanics, J. Robert Oppenheimer - director of the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb - was the most famous scientist of his generation. In their meticulous and riveting biography, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin reveal a brilliant, ambitious, complex and flawed man, profoundly involved with some of the momentous events of the twentieth century.Trade ReviewA riveting account of one of history's most essential and paradoxical figures. -- Christopher NolanReads like a thriller, gripping and terrifying by turns... No more absorbing biography will, I predict, come out this year, nor, given the dangers we face, a more important one. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *I hate to say it, but, if you zip through all six hundred pages of the book before seeing the film, you'll enjoy the ride more. -- Anthony Lane * New Yorker *Fascinating... Enthralling... All previous works on the topic are, in the nicest possible sense, blown out of the sky by a book which is, in both the proper and metaphorical meanings, monumental. -- Mark Lawson * Esquire *No previous biography has... matched the power, range and lucidity of Martin Sherwin and Kai Bird's Life... Its combination of meticulous scholarship and felicitous prose grasps the drama of Oppenheimer's life in all its riveting complexity. * Sunday Telegraph *A giant among biographies, a life story that at times reads like a thriller but which is also deeply authoritative and persuasively informative.... Magisterial. * Observer *This is a magisterial biography: a masterpiece that has taken decades to put together. -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *A tremendous work of scholarship. * Financial Times *Dazzling... Rich in incident and enigma... It wears its scholarship lightly and whisks the reader through the story at thriller-like pace. * New Statesman *Magisterial... There have been many books on Oppenheimer... but American Prometheus is the first to attempt to explore more than a single facet... It is a portrait of the man, the times, the science, and the politics... It is a vaulting ambition, and it is amply rewarded. -- Judith Flanders * Spectator *The definitive biography... Oppenheimer's life doesn't influence us. It haunts us. * Newsweek *A work of voluminous scholarship and lucid insight, unifying its multifaceted portrait with a keen grasp of Oppenheimer's essential nature... It succeeds in deeply fathoming his most damaging, self-contradictory behavior. * New York Times *A masterful account of Oppenheimer's rise and fall, set in the context of the turbulent decades of America's own transformation. It is a tour de force. * Los Angeles Times Book Review *There have been numerous books about Oppenheimer but they can't touch this extraordinary book's impressive breadth and scope. * Miami Herald *The first biography to give full due to Oppenheimer's extraordinary complexity... Stands as an Everest among the mountains of books on the bomb project and Oppenheimer, and is an achievement not likely to be surpassed or equaled. * Boston Globe *Table of Contents1: "He Received Every New Idea as Perfectly Beautiful" 2: "His Separate Prison" 3: "I Am Having a Pretty Bad Time" 4: "I Find Work Hard, Thank God, & Almost Pleasant" 5: "I Am Oppenheimer" 6: "Oppie" 7: "The Nim Nim Boys" 8: "In 1936 My Interests Began to Change" 9: "[Frank] Clipped It Out and Sent it In" 10: "More and More Surely" 11: "I'm Going to Marry a Friend of Yours, Steve" 12: "We Were Pulling the New Deal to the Left" 13: "The Coordinator of Rapid Rupture" 14: "The Chevalier Affair" 15: "He'd Become Very Patriotic" 16: "Too Much Secrecy" 17: "Oppenheimer Is Telling the Truth" 18: "Suicide, Motive Unknown" 19: "Would You Like to Adopt Her?" 20: Bohr Was God, and Oppie Was His Prophet" 21: "The Impact of the Gadget on Civilization" 22: "Now We're All Sons-of-Bitches" 23: "Those Poor Little People" 24: "I Feel I Have Blood on My Hands" 25: "People Could Destroy New York" 26: "Oppie Had a Rash and Is Now Immune" 27: "An Intellectual Hotel" 28: "He Couldn't Understand Why He Did It" 29: "I Am Sure That Is Why She Threw Things at Him" 30: "He Never Let On What His Opinion Was" 31: "Dark Words About Oppie" 32: "Scientist X" 33: "The Beast in the Jungle" 34: "It Looks Pretty Bad, Doesn't It?" 35: "I Fear That This Whole Thing Is a Piece of Idiocy" 36: "A Manifestation of Hysteria" 37: "A Black Mark on the Escutcheon of Our Country" 38: "I Can Still Feel the Warm Blood on My Hands" 39: "It Was Really Like a Never-Never-Land" 40: "It Should Have Been Done the Day After Trinity" Epilogue: "There's Only One Robert"

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Book SynopsisThis book represents an original study of long term patterns in technological development and innovation in large corporations. The author is primarily concerned with understanding open-ended transformation processes in the evolution of industrialised societies. US patent data from 1890 to 1990 is employed within an evolutionary framework. The book offers an overview of an intellectual agenda associated with a highly important and pervasive set of phenomena and challenges several dogmas currently alive within economic reasoning including: technological paradigms governing trajectories of opportunity the S-shaped image of the technological growth cycle and technological dynamics long waves industrial dynamics the variety of firms' technological profiles and corporate trajectories corporate technological leadership socio-economic transformation processes and underpinning 'rules'. Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation details historically how the innovative and competitive landscapes within industrialised societies have become increasingly complex. This book will appeal to industrial and business economists, technology historians, researchers, students, policymakers and business analysts.Trade Review'. . . this is an original contribution to the literature on innovation, especially as it takes a long-term, cross-industry perspective.' -- Gerben Bakker, Business History'This book has a wealth of information regarding patents. Andersen has developed sophisticated analytical methods to analyze the patent statistics covering a century. Such a longitudinal analysis is indeed an important contribution to the literature on technology management. This book will be a welcome addition to anybody interested in the field of technology management.' -- Alok Chakrabarti, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management'Over the last quarter-century there has been a great deal of research and writing illuminating key aspects of the processes involved in technological advance, the nature of the firms and other organizations that have been the sources of new technology, and on how these variables differ by industry and by era. While in the eyes of those familiar with the broad scope of this research and writing, the overall picture is coherent, for the most part the different strands of research have been published in different places. In this book, Andersen proposes to bring the various pieces together. This she does quite well. The book provides a nice introduction to this diverse, but increasingly unified, body of theorizing about the coevolution of technologies and firm and industry structures . . . her work is a significant addition to a developing body of research that has involved a number of different scholars. In sum this is a good book. It both surveys effectively, and adds to, empirical research on several different aspects of technological advance, and on the nature of the firms that are leading the pack in various fields. It provides a good introduction to, and an example of excellent use of, patent statistics in the study of technological change.' -- Richard R. Nelson, Journal of Technology Transfer'Birgitte Andersen revisits in a modern context the ideas of Kuznets on technological growth paths, but emphasises the structural variety in patenting where earlier authors focused on aggregate trends. This is an important contribution for scholars interested in the interface between the recent history of technology and evolutionary economics.' -- John Cantwell, Rutgers University, US'This book represents the development of a major research project on patenting which is at last providing us with a solid quantitative base for examining these issues over a period spanning the twentieth century. Economics and history are skilfully woven into the data in order to interpret the processes of change. The results summarised in 21 'stylised facts', should frame all future studies of long-term industrial dynamics.' -- G.N. von Tunzelmann, SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex, UK'This is a landmark book about evolving technologies and growth opportunities. It is unique in both the breadth: over 100 innovation cycles; and the scope; over the past century, of its coverage. Dr Andersen's presentation of a rich range of academic work and comprehensive original analysis will be of interest to entrepreneurs and venture capitalists as well as to researchers studying innovation and technological change.' -- James M. Utterback, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Introduction 2. Indicators and Appropriate Use of Patent Data 3. Structural Changes in Trajectories of Technological Opportunities 4. The Hunt for S-Shaped Growth Paths in Trajectories of Technological Innovation 5. Clusters of Takeoffs in Innovation Trajectories: An Exploration of Wave-like Patterns 6. Technological System Dynamics: A Competence Bloc Approach 7. Types of Technological Competencies and Corporate Trajectories: The Variety of Firms and Path Dependency 8. Trajectories of Corporate Technological Leadership: Implications for Innovation Diffusion in the Course of Growth 9. Conclusion: Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation References Index

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a broad overview of the multifaceted phenomena of innovation networks, which have assumed increasing importance with the emergence of the so-called 'knowledge economy'. The topic of innovation networks is analysed through different lenses, bringing together the theory of self-organisation, complexity theory and recent developments in the economic and sociological literature on innovation. The aim of the book is the integration of these different perspectives in order to develop a common theory of innovation networks. In this respect, a general model of innovation networks is applied to different industrial sectors such as the biotechnology industry, the telecommunications industry, and knowledge-intensive business systems which form the backbone of the internet economy. By combining empirical case studies with theoretical work on the emergence of innovation networks, the authors are able to identify the mechanisms and circumstances which can contribute to their successful development and evaluation.Innovation Networks is the result of a two year collaboration between academics from a range of different disciplines including theoretical physics, political science, computer science, sociology and economics. As such, it will appeal to students, scholars and researchers in all of these fields as well as business and R&D managers, and policymakers and politicians involved in the promotion of technology policy.Trade Review'Instead of presenting a complete and rounded view of innovation networks, this book really opens up the subject, demonstrates and illustrates the issues and self-organising processes involved and leaves the reader, and probably the writers, with further questions, simulations and research that should be continued. This is a valuable source of cutting edge ideas about these vital phenomena, one that whets the reader's appetite for more.' -- Peter Allen, Cranfield University, UKTable of ContentsContents: Preface Part I: Theoretical Background 1. The Self-Organisation of Innovation Networks: Introductory Remarks 2. Complexity, Self-Organisation and Innovation Networks: A New Theoretical Approach Part II: Case Studies 3. Innovation Networks by Design: The Case of Mobile VCE 4. Innovation Networks in the Biotechnology-Based Sectors 5. The Role of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) in E-Commerce 6. Innovation Networks and the Transformation of Large Socio-Technical Systems: The Case of Combined Heat and Power Technology Part III: Simulation 7. Simulating Innovation Networks 8. Evaluating Innovation Networks Part IV: Conclusions Index

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Book SynopsisEurope's research and technology system is about to change with the introduction of a novel approach, labelled 'European Research Area' (ERA). This concept makes an attempt to break with the established mode of governance in Europe and seeks to advance European research collaboration and co-ordinate national research policies. Changing Governance of Research and Technology Policy is a unique collection analysing and commenting on the development of the ERA. The contributors include leading scholars of European integration and technology policy, and high-level administrators. They discuss the potential impacts, benefits and limits to research and innovation policy within Europe both in the short and long term. Moreover, the debate about ERA is placed firmly in the context of the overall changes in governance at the European level. The book will be essential reading for international researchers, policymakers and students interested in research, technology and innovation policy in Europe.Trade Review'This book is an interesting collection of 14 contributions about the current dynamics and the future shape of the European Research Area (ERA). . . The topic of this edited volume can hardly be more timely and necessary. . . the authors have introduced a "system of innovation" approach to the study of the ERA initiative, which is rarely found in studies at the EU level. This is highly laudable. . . this book has gathered a set of social scientists and practitioners, bringing together an array of research results and views on the subject. . . this book represents valuable reading for those willing to understand the newest developments on STI policy at the EU level and the corresponding transforming governance structures in Europe in the new century.' -- Susana Borras, Science and Public Policy'At the beginning of the new millennium, the European Research Area (ERA) was proposed as a major objective for Europe. It has since given rise to much political discourse and a rare intergovernmental consensus. Three years after its initiation, the time is ripe for a first in-depth exploration of its possible directions and pitfalls. The participating scholars have gone beyond expressing positive or negative opinions to try and delineate explanatory factors and dynamics, and have also taken the risk of proposing vastly contrasting scenarios. As such, this is an important contribution which should interest all researchers and stakeholders dealing with research and innovation policy.' -- Philippe Laredo, Laboratoire Territories, Techniques, Societes (LATTS), ENPC, Cite Descartes, FranceTable of ContentsContents: Part I: Changing Governance: The European Perspective 1. Changing Governance in European Research and Technology Policy 2. Shared Governance Through Mutual Policy Learning 3. Old Games, Old Players – New Rules, New Results 4. Political Dynamics of the ERA 5. Change in European R&D Policy as a Complex Consensus-building Process Part II: Changing Governance: The Sub-European Perspective 6. European Research Area: New Roles for National and European RTDI Funding Programs? 7. National but/and/or European: The Differentiation of EU-R&D Policy Subsystems in Three Countries 8. Finnish Science and Technology Policy in the Context of Internationalization and Europeanization 9. Entering the Club 10. Introducing Regions and Innovation-related Needs in the Multi-layer Logic of the European Research Area 11. German Corporatism in Industrial R&D: Its National Structure and European Challenge Part III: Changing Governance: A Sectoral Perspective – The Case of Biotechnology 12. International Innovative Activities, National Technology Competition and European Integration Efforts 13. Innovation Policy in a Multi-level Governance System 14. The European Research Area and the Social Contextualization of Technological Innovations Index

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Book SynopsisBorn in Penzance in 1778, Humphry Davy's scientific reputation grew with his pioneering discoveries of nitrous oxide (laughing gas), sodium, calcium and the invention of the miners' Davy lamp.

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Book SynopsisExplores the achievements of some of Britain's most innovative engineers, traces the links betwen them and how their ideas collectively created 'modern Britain'. It's an engaging and profusely illustrated introduction to the men who made it all happen.

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Book SynopsisOne of Canada''s best-kept secrets is the amazing list of inventions, both great and ridiculous, that were created by Canadians! Author Lisa Wojna celebrates Canuck ingenuity and tells the stories behind an array of innovations. From the space shuttle''s Canadarm to the electron microscope, Canadians can lay claim to many creations. Some have changed our world for the better; others are just wonderfully weird. Great Ideas telephone goalie mask standard time Superman snowmobile kayak insulin zipper Robertson screw egg carton snowshoe paint roller basketball What were they thinking? disposable ship mechanical skirt lifter Earth Paper rocking chair butter churn square bullets synchronized swimming salmon leather jolly jumper poutine cylinder boat 3-D jigsaw puzzle. hat with a water reservoir for a flower You''ll be amazed, astounded and occasionally downright embarrassed. But you''ll finally be able to answer Trivial Pursuit questions about Canadian inventions. And, yes, Canadians invented that game, too.

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Book SynopsisSir Hugh Plat (1552-1608) is remembered today for his two books, The Jewell House of Art and Nature (1594) and Delightes for Ladies (1602), but he was more than a mere occasional author, cookery writer or agricultural improver. The son of a London brewer and a lawyer by training, he spent much of his life exploring the mysteries of the world around him, his interests spanning alchemy, agriculture, gardening, cookery, cosmetics, distilling, food preservation, medicine, arms and armaments, military transport and raising rabbits in suburban surroundings. He was an inventor and adapter, a man of science in all but name. He takes his place in the community of innovators of early modern London, precursors of the age of science and reason that was about to flower.While much quoted, Plat''s life and works have been little studied for what they can tell us about his own career and his scientific and technological preoccupations. Malcolm Thick describes a man whose ideas came to be valued in the later 17th century; he explores his pioneering work on agricultural fertilizers and the recycling of the by-products of London''s nascent industries; and he discusses the interface between speculative alchemy and practical invention and innovation. Sir Hugh Plat was the man who brought pasta and macaroni to the notice of the English. For that, and for much else, he should be celebrated.

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Book SynopsisWhy do some states and societies thrive while others do not? What awaits us in the future? Is there a universal model that can guide our success? The author, Vadim Makhov believes that there is and that it can be found by means of careful analysis of the past. In this truly big-idea book, he presents his `lucky clover' theory in which, when four critical elements - science, society, innovation and wealth - are present, interacting and developing simultaneously, culminate in success. Having studied hundreds of sources, scrutinized numerous tangled intricacies in world history, and found interesting correlations between various events and phenomena, the author sets out to demonstrate that, through careful analysis of the past, we can find the right path to success.Trade Review"To demonstrate his theory, innovator Vadim Makhov reviews various concepts of human development that have been formulated prior to his own, and the book Humanity's Lucky Clover presents an impressive collection of knowledge, ideas, and common sense. Carefully written, elegantly laid out, and artistically illustrated, this book will undoubtedly be of interest to those looking at the world in a systematic way." --Noubar Afeyan, PhD, Founder and CEO, Flagship Pioneering "With penetrating simplicity and clarity, Vadim Makhov takes us through the world's history of great innovations. Highly recommended." --Dr. Michael Obermayer, Former Senior Partner and Founding Chairman, McKinsey Eastern Group "Fascinating reading for all curious minds willing to explore and understand the complex world around us. Vadim takes us to a cross-disciplinary intellectual adventure where concepts from economics, natural sciences, and history are merged together to develop an authentic model of social, technological, and economic innovation. Deep analysis with amazingly wide factual basis, yet very clear and captivating reading with abundant original vignettes and anecdotes." --Marat Atnashev, PhD, Dean of the Moscow School of Management, SKOLKOVO

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Book SynopsisGridlocked, asphyxiating cities. Looming climate disaster. A main cause of this nightmare is the conventional car and its basic design which is unchanged since its origin in the nineteenth century. ‘The Ghost Car’ is the fascinating story of a radically different type of urban car which could sweep away the traffic jams and the air pollution and energy wastage that go with them. The inventor, and author of this book, Edmund Jephcott, gave up an academic career in a determined bid to turn his idea into reality. He built a successful prototype which was presented to major car producers worldwide. The vehicle was well received by the public and press. Yet… the traffic jams are still there, along with the ever-_worsening weather events and fears of some ultimate catastrophe. Why? This book gives the answer, and readers of it might never look at existing cars in the same way again.

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Book Synopsis"[In the laboratory] they thought I was the new janitor." - Clarice Phelps, Nuclear Chemist. "Why do I get a tenth of the funding that men that have projects at large corporations do?" - Mary Lou Jepsen, inventor. "I asked 'why isn't there a girl character for me to choose from?'. At first, they laughed. Then, they got annoyed at me and started having design meetings and not tell me where they were." - Sheri Graner Ray, videogame designer. 50 Women in Technology is a full-colour book celebrating female pioneers and trailblazers in STEM. It features 25 extraordinary women scientists from Ada Lovelace to Emmanuelle Charpentier, as well as 25 exclusive interviews with incredible women who are leading the way in the fast-paced world of technology today including 2023 Nobel prize winner Katalin Kariko. Includes: Amalia Ballarino (Nuclear Engineer), Ana Oliveira (Crop Genetics), Anais Engelmann and Megan Hale (Design Engineering), Anda Waluyo Sapardan (Medical Tech/Healthcare), Anna Lukasson-Herzig (Computing/AI), Brenda Romero (Video Games), Clarice Phelps (Nuclear Chemist), Claudia Brind -Woody (IT), Coty Craven (videogames/IT), Emily Holmes (Neuroscientist), Gretchen Andrew (NFT Artist), Ida Tin (FemTech), Katalin Kariko (Biochemistry), Kasia Gora (Food Tech), Maria Carolina Fujihara (Environmental Tech), Marita Cheng (Robotics), Mary Agbesanwa (FinTech), Mary Lou Jepsen (Imaging/Healthcare), Morenike Fajemisin (FemTech), Odunayo Eweniyi (Financial Tech), Rumman Chowdhury (Internet Algorithms/Data Science), Sheri Graner Ray (Videogames), Stephanie Willerth, (Bioengineering), Tan Le (Medical Tech) and Yewande Akinola (Sustainability).Trade Review"There are phenomenal women all over the technology landscape but we need to tell their stories to inspire more and to show what's possible. Unfortunately the industry, while growing in importance has shrinking numbers of women. This is a must read." - Martha Lane Fox, businesswoman, philanthropist and co-founder of "Last Minute"; "Women have played a fundamental part in the creation and success of the technology industry. We should all have grown up hearing their names, but unfortunately too often their contributions have not been championed. This book highlights the incredible contributions of 50 inspiring women tech pioneers, don't miss the opportunity to find out all about them." - Sue Black, Award winning computer scientist and digital skills expert; "50 Women In Technology is the story of women who have faced, or are facing, insurmountable odds but have overcome challenges to succeed beyond expectations. The book challenges the readers’ own knowledge of women in the tech sector as compared to their knowledge of males and brings awareness to the bias that mainstream media has in covering news stories of males in tech, as opposed to females. Most importantly, 50 Women In Technology does exactly as the name suggests, it highlights the incredible accomplishments of women in the traditionally male dominated technology industry. The stories are inspirational and for this reason should be a must read, not only for young girls and women, but for young boys and men as well. The stories of these women should be told at school, in the workplace, in the media and in the home. While reading to a young boy or girl about a sports hero may be a popular choice at bedtime, an inspiration excerpt from 50 Women In Technology may have longer, more positive consequences for their overall development."Table of ContentsEditor bio Foreword Introduction 25 profiles of pioneers 25 interviews with contemporary women in technology Index

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Book SynopsisThe companion book to an upcoming museum exhibition of the same name, Places of Invention seeks to answer timely questions about the nature of invention and innovation:  What is it about some places that sparks invention and innovation? Is it simply being at the right place at the right time, or is it more than that? How does “place”—whether physical, social, or cultural—support, constrain, and shape innovation? Why does invention flourish in one spot but struggle in another, even very similar location? In short: Why there? Why then?   Places of Invention frames current and historic conversation on the relationship between place and creativity, citing extensive scholarship in the area and two decades of investigation and study from the National Museum of American History’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The book is built around six place case studies: Hartford, CT, late 1800s; Hollywood, CA, 1930s; Medical Alley, MN, 1950s; Bronx, NY,1970s; Silicon Valley, CA, 1970s–1980s; and Fort Collins, CO, 2010s. Interspersed with these case studies are dispatches from three “learning labs” detailing Smithsonian Affiliate museums’ work using Places of Invention as a model for documenting local invention and innovation.   Written by exhibition curators, each part of the book focuses on the central thesis that invention is everywhere and fueled by unique combinations of creative people, ready resources, and inspiring surroundings. Like the locations it explores, Places of Invention shows how the history of invention can be a transformative lens for understanding local history and cultivating creativity on scales of place ranging from the personal to the national and beyond.

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Book SynopsisThis book illuminates what engineering is and how it relates to other disciplines such as art, architecture, law, economics, science, technology, and even religion. The author explains, from an intrinsic as well as descriptive perspective, why engineering is essential for our collective well-being, and how, like medicine, it is undertaken by people, and for people, to improve the human condition. He brings out the 'magic' of engineering practice as well as addressing the darker aspects such as warfare and the misuse of the internet. A too commonly held view assumes that the practice of engineers is a cold, purely quantitative and wholly technical enterprise of applying know science, and devoid of creativity or aestheticism. In 2013 the United States National Academy of Engineering launched a campaign called “Changing the Conversation, Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering” with four messages to impart about engineers: that they make a world of difference; are creative problem solvers; that they help shape the future, and are essential to health, happiness, and safety. In this volume, Professor Blockley incorporate these messages into an engaging exposition of engineering accomplishment in all of its evolving diversity, from the technician to the academic research engineer, illustrating the continuum of thinking and purpose from the fixer of the gas boiler to the designers of the A380 and the iPhone. Table of ContentsMaking.- Dwelling.- Moving.- Communicating .- Fighting.- Wellbeing.- Flourishing.

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Book SynopsisThe father of fibre optics, Narinder Singh Kapany was far more than your typical multi-hyphenate. Inventor, art collector, sculptor, farmer, entrepreneur, teacher, and a successful businessman, Dr Kapany was what Fortune magazine in its 1999 issue called, ‘one of the seven unsung heroes of the 20th century’. An insightful and inspirational life story, this memoir chronicles his 90 remarkable years. Charming, idiosyncratic, and highly engaging, The Man who Bent Light serves up enough variety and verve to celebrate the lives of a half-dozen individuals. But there is only one Narinder Singh Kapany, and his life, illuminated in his singular memoir, is a life like no other.

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Book SynopsisThe book highlights some of the astonishing features of numbers, such as how to make a magic box, guessing the number in a friend's mind, telling the year printed on a coin etc. The book is not only fun and informative, but also aweinspiring. It is a priceless treasure of your knowledge and entertainment. #v&spublishers

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Book SynopsisThis book reveals the secrets behind the entrepreneurship craze of Israel''s young generation, the engine that''s leading the innovation train. Readers go behind the scenes of Israeli success through the amazing story of Yariv Bash, Kfir Damari, and Yonatan Weintraub, the three youths behind Project Beresheet, the first Israeli spacecraft that went all the way to the moon. Ten years after the phenomenal sensation of Start-Up Nation, we decided to investigate the source of Israeli-Jewish achievement from a fresh viewpoint. For the first time ever, we explain how the chaotic, audacious cultural style that has given Israelis a bad name around the world has taken a surprising turn in recent years. Israels culture has become a significant component of the success of young entrepreneurs operating in a knowledge-rich environment. In this book, we open a window onto the mysteries of the Israeli-Jewish innovation greenhouse. We explain how the young generation in Israel is essentially continuing the epic journey begun by their biblical forefather Abraham. Generous helpings of chutzpah and the Jewish talent for endless argument enable Israel''s youth to dare to dream big. Against almost all odds, they can fall down and get up again. They can fail and then start over from the beginning (''Beresheet'' in Hebrew). The story of the Beresheet spacecraft and its three founders is a microcosm of the larger story of this pioneering generation of young, daring entrepreneurs of the State of Israel. In a broader prism, it represents the essence of this tiny nation. Since the day of its establishment, Israel has functioned within a state of chaos -- yet it continues to win. This is also the story of a people with unique social characteristics, which sanctifies military culture but refuses to accept authority. The Jewish nation is not afraid to take its complaints all the way up to the highest rank -- God himself, while carefully maintaining an ancient and profound relationship with the moon as one of His influential creations. This book also offers revealing insights into how the State of Israel integrates religious conservativism with groundbreaking technological creativity. As Israeli youth sing in the lyrics of a popular song, He who believes is not afraid. Readers will relish the intimate details given by young Israeli entrepreneurs and the viewpoints of veteran innovators, based on personal conversations with the authors and interviews they granted to Israeli public media. This book is also the first time that Yariv, Kfir, and Yonatan share their unbelievable personal story with the general public. Their journey begins with a funny Facebook post and takes us through the decision to send a spacecraft to the moon despite no previous knowledge or financial means. By the time we reach the tension-filled landing, the entire nation is moonstruck.

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