Inventions Facts for Kids
Genius facts about great inventions
Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1867 by mixing highly unstable nitroglycerin with a type of sand called kieselguhr to make it safer to handle. Feeling guilty about the destruction his invention caused, he later created the Nobel Prizes.
The first contact lenses, made from blown glass in 1888, covered the entire eye and could only be worn for a few hours. Modern soft contact lenses were not invented until 1959, when Czech chemist Otto Wichterle developed a flexible water-absorbing material.
Bubble Wrap was invented in 1957 by engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, who were originally trying to make a textured plastic wallpaper. When it failed as wallpaper, they eventually realised it was perfect for protecting fragile items during shipping.
The earliest scissors, found in ancient Egypt around 1500 BC, were made from a single piece of bronze bent in a U-shape so the blades could spring open. The pivoting scissors we use today were invented around 100 AD in Rome.
The computer mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1964 and his first prototype was a wooden box with two metal wheels. He called it a 'mouse' because the cord at the back looked like a tail.
Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921 at the University of Toronto, transforming type 1 diabetes from a death sentence into a manageable condition. Before insulin, diabetic patients were put on near-starvation diets as the only treatment.
Wristwatches became popular during World War One because soldiers needed to coordinate attacks and pocket watches were difficult to use in battle. Before the war, wristwatches were considered a fashion accessory for women.
Super Glue was discovered by accident in 1942 when chemist Harry Coover was trying to make a clear plastic for gun sights during World War Two. He got annoyed when his experimental compound stuck everything together — then realised its potential years later.
The world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. It was about the size of a beach ball and beeped a radio signal as it orbited Earth every 98 minutes.
Kevlar, the incredibly strong material used in bulletproof vests, was invented in 1965 by chemist Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont. She almost discarded her experiment because the unusual liquid results did not match what she expected.