SCI-102X: The Minds That Changed the World — A
Compendium of Revolutionary Inventors and Their
Innovations
Thomas Edison - (1847-1931) prolific American inventor with more than 1000 patents related to
electrical lighting, power distribution, telegraphs, microphones, phonographs, and motion
pictures. He advocated DC power distribution versus the AC alternative favored by
Westinghouse and Tesla.
George de Mestral - (1907-1990) swiss inventor who created a simple but brilliant invention no
known as Velcro. He got his ideas from burrs sticking onto clothes. He created both the hook
and loops fasteners of Velcro and created a mulitmillion dollar company selling his
invention.
Debbie Sterling - (1983-) engineer and founder/ceo of GoldieBlox, a company that makes toys to
promote enthusiasm in young girls for science, math and engineering. She is a leading voice in
the movement to get more women involved in engineering and technology.
Emily Warren Roevling - (1843-1903) American who essentially took over for her husband as
Chief Engineer for the Brooklyn Bridge after he contracted a crippling illness. She spent 14 years
completing the project in collaboration with her husband, working with him to develop ideas
and then acting as foreman to implement them.
Enrico Fermi - (1901-1954) Italian scientist with a famous set of statistics relating to some
subatomic particles named after him. He developed the beta decay theory, conducted the first
controlled nuclear reaction in 1942 and was one of the lead physicists on the Manhattan
Project.
Willis Carrier - (1876-1950) American engineer who invented the world's first modern air
conditioning system by designing a mechanical humidity controller that passed air through a
,filter and over coils containing coolant. He developed the Rational Psychometric Formulae to
explain the for air conditioning while also determining the exact correlation between
temperature and humidity.
Dean Kamen - (1951-) American inventor and entrepreneur who is best known for inventing the
Segway PT and the Ibot wheelchair, along with many other bio-mechanical devices. He founded
the program FIRST which is for students interested in science technology and
engineering.
Samuel Morse - (1791-1872)- American painter turned inventor who developed the single wire
telegraph system which could communicate over long distances using a language he co-
invented called morse code. This code is a system of dots and dashes that could be sent through
the telegram and received on the other end
James Watt - (1936-1819) Scottish engineer and inventor who inspired the Newcommen steam
engine, created the Watt steam engine, a driving force in the industrial revolution. He also
improved on his own design adding the use of a rotary motion expanding the potential of the
engine
Jonas Salk - (1914-1995) American scientist and medical researcher who developed the first
successful polio vaccine in 1952 utilizing an injection of a killed version of the virus. He chose
not to patent his invention due to moral reasons forfeiting potentially billions of dollars but
beginning a widespread fight against the paralysing disease that today has been almost
eliminated from the globe in par to his work
Alexander Graham Bell - (1847-1922) Scottish engineer, scientist inventor who is best known for
inventing the telephone and being awarded the first US patent for the phone. Much of his work
revolved around aiding the deaf, telecommunications and aeronautics, and he became one of
the founding members of the National Geographic.
Henry Bessemer - (1813-1898) English inventor and engineer who designed an extremely
efficient process for making steel by blowing oxygen through pig iron. He patented this highly
profitable idea in 1856 thereby allowing the rise of the modern factory. Highlights of his life
, include being knighted for his gifts to the scientific community and becoming a fellow of the
Royal Society.
Leonardo Da Vinci - (11452-1519) Itailan scientist, engineer and inventor who is known for his
early designs and inventions including a flying machine and a machine to concentrate solar
powers. Though his ideas were often far ahead of his time, his smaller inventions and sketches
helped to construct a foundation for the advancement of architecture and engineering. He also
made significant discoveries in math, astronomy, anatomy an many other fields. Also known for
painting the Mona Lisa, and his drawing the Vitruvian Man.
Rudolf Disel - (1858-1913) German engineer who had a thorough understanding of
thermodynamics, especially the carnot engine and its cycle. Through experimentation, he
pioneered a new engine designed to run on peanut oil; the diesel engine. The diesel engine is
unique because it relies on compression inducted auto ignition rather than spark plugs for
combustion. He obtained both US and German patents for his invention.
Wright Brothers - (1867-1912) American brothers and inventors who designed built and flew the
first practical fixed wing airplane which featured their patented three axis control system. Their
historic flight also marked the first powered and controlled heavier than air human
flight.
William Henry "bill" Gates III - (1955-) a philanthropist, computer programmer and influential
entrepreneur during the personal computer revolution. He co founded the world's largest
software company, microsoft, and is currently the richest man in the world.
Johannes Gutenberg - (1398-1468) First European to create and use a mechanical printing press,
which utilized movable type (letters/punctuation) and could mass produce books at low cost.
Gutenberg's printing press changed Europe by making books and learning available to the
general public and was a key catalyst to the Renaissance and scientific revolutions.
Christian von Koenigsegg - (1972-) Founder of swedish high performance automobile
manufacturer sharing his own last name. He introduced many innovations to the high
performance automobile industry, such as the triplex suspension system or camshaft-replacing
Compendium of Revolutionary Inventors and Their
Innovations
Thomas Edison - (1847-1931) prolific American inventor with more than 1000 patents related to
electrical lighting, power distribution, telegraphs, microphones, phonographs, and motion
pictures. He advocated DC power distribution versus the AC alternative favored by
Westinghouse and Tesla.
George de Mestral - (1907-1990) swiss inventor who created a simple but brilliant invention no
known as Velcro. He got his ideas from burrs sticking onto clothes. He created both the hook
and loops fasteners of Velcro and created a mulitmillion dollar company selling his
invention.
Debbie Sterling - (1983-) engineer and founder/ceo of GoldieBlox, a company that makes toys to
promote enthusiasm in young girls for science, math and engineering. She is a leading voice in
the movement to get more women involved in engineering and technology.
Emily Warren Roevling - (1843-1903) American who essentially took over for her husband as
Chief Engineer for the Brooklyn Bridge after he contracted a crippling illness. She spent 14 years
completing the project in collaboration with her husband, working with him to develop ideas
and then acting as foreman to implement them.
Enrico Fermi - (1901-1954) Italian scientist with a famous set of statistics relating to some
subatomic particles named after him. He developed the beta decay theory, conducted the first
controlled nuclear reaction in 1942 and was one of the lead physicists on the Manhattan
Project.
Willis Carrier - (1876-1950) American engineer who invented the world's first modern air
conditioning system by designing a mechanical humidity controller that passed air through a
,filter and over coils containing coolant. He developed the Rational Psychometric Formulae to
explain the for air conditioning while also determining the exact correlation between
temperature and humidity.
Dean Kamen - (1951-) American inventor and entrepreneur who is best known for inventing the
Segway PT and the Ibot wheelchair, along with many other bio-mechanical devices. He founded
the program FIRST which is for students interested in science technology and
engineering.
Samuel Morse - (1791-1872)- American painter turned inventor who developed the single wire
telegraph system which could communicate over long distances using a language he co-
invented called morse code. This code is a system of dots and dashes that could be sent through
the telegram and received on the other end
James Watt - (1936-1819) Scottish engineer and inventor who inspired the Newcommen steam
engine, created the Watt steam engine, a driving force in the industrial revolution. He also
improved on his own design adding the use of a rotary motion expanding the potential of the
engine
Jonas Salk - (1914-1995) American scientist and medical researcher who developed the first
successful polio vaccine in 1952 utilizing an injection of a killed version of the virus. He chose
not to patent his invention due to moral reasons forfeiting potentially billions of dollars but
beginning a widespread fight against the paralysing disease that today has been almost
eliminated from the globe in par to his work
Alexander Graham Bell - (1847-1922) Scottish engineer, scientist inventor who is best known for
inventing the telephone and being awarded the first US patent for the phone. Much of his work
revolved around aiding the deaf, telecommunications and aeronautics, and he became one of
the founding members of the National Geographic.
Henry Bessemer - (1813-1898) English inventor and engineer who designed an extremely
efficient process for making steel by blowing oxygen through pig iron. He patented this highly
profitable idea in 1856 thereby allowing the rise of the modern factory. Highlights of his life
, include being knighted for his gifts to the scientific community and becoming a fellow of the
Royal Society.
Leonardo Da Vinci - (11452-1519) Itailan scientist, engineer and inventor who is known for his
early designs and inventions including a flying machine and a machine to concentrate solar
powers. Though his ideas were often far ahead of his time, his smaller inventions and sketches
helped to construct a foundation for the advancement of architecture and engineering. He also
made significant discoveries in math, astronomy, anatomy an many other fields. Also known for
painting the Mona Lisa, and his drawing the Vitruvian Man.
Rudolf Disel - (1858-1913) German engineer who had a thorough understanding of
thermodynamics, especially the carnot engine and its cycle. Through experimentation, he
pioneered a new engine designed to run on peanut oil; the diesel engine. The diesel engine is
unique because it relies on compression inducted auto ignition rather than spark plugs for
combustion. He obtained both US and German patents for his invention.
Wright Brothers - (1867-1912) American brothers and inventors who designed built and flew the
first practical fixed wing airplane which featured their patented three axis control system. Their
historic flight also marked the first powered and controlled heavier than air human
flight.
William Henry "bill" Gates III - (1955-) a philanthropist, computer programmer and influential
entrepreneur during the personal computer revolution. He co founded the world's largest
software company, microsoft, and is currently the richest man in the world.
Johannes Gutenberg - (1398-1468) First European to create and use a mechanical printing press,
which utilized movable type (letters/punctuation) and could mass produce books at low cost.
Gutenberg's printing press changed Europe by making books and learning available to the
general public and was a key catalyst to the Renaissance and scientific revolutions.
Christian von Koenigsegg - (1972-) Founder of swedish high performance automobile
manufacturer sharing his own last name. He introduced many innovations to the high
performance automobile industry, such as the triplex suspension system or camshaft-replacing
