What was Edison's controversial role in the invention of the electric chair? What's the little-known link between the Civil War and the Ouija board, or stockings and roller coasters? And how did an explosive guilt trip lead to the birth of the Nobel Peace Prize? We explore four chilling inventions, and reveal the stories of the inventors whose million-dollar ideas shook the world and created legacies still with us today.
The television, photocopier, speed camera and the Hubble Space Telescope.
How did one man's invention to save soldiers' lives set off an American crime wave? Which common household appliance first existed as a flattened chicken bone adorned with animal hair? And what's the connection between burglar alarms and the literary team of Holmes and Watson? We explore the origins of four inventions with criminal ties: the Tommy Gun, the home alarm, cash registers, and the toothbrush meet the brilliant minds willing to do anything to bring their innovations to the world.
Lightweight body armor, firefighter masks, modern anesthesia and the wingsuit are spotlighted.
Transportation innovations are featured, including rubber, the baby stroller and running shoe.
The pacemaker, metal detector, Gatling gun and 3D printer are featured.
The Colt revolver, Monopoly, the cymbal and branch banking are featured.
Intermittent wipers, Lego bricks, and the smiley face came from the minds of ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
