What is your favourite invention? Which of the following come top of your list – the car, television, microwave ovens, mobile phone, the computer, a camera or other great ideas? They were all the result of hard work by amazing people. So, who invented the car, the TV, microwave ovens and the like? That is what I enjoy finding out. Many of the great inventors will feature on this site as part of the amazing people series.
Some days are more significant than others. On this day in 1976, a little known company launched a computer called Apple 1. The two whizz kid founders were helped in the formation of their company by a colleague. They gave him 10% of the shares, but it is said that he later returned them for about $2,300. If he had kept his shares, he would be worth in the region of…
It is said that curiousity killed the cat. It has also been the factor that has led people to create new inventions, explore new places and develop new ideas. In the process, some people have become millionaires because they were curious. People like Thomas Edison, who founded the enormous General Electric Company was always curious. He wanted to find out how machines worked and to create better ones. As a…
In 1666, a dreadful fire ripped through the heart of London burning houses, churches and other buildings. Sir Christopher Wren was given the job of re-developing many churches. One of them, St Paul’s Cathedral is celebrating its 300th anniversary. I am often asked what I regard as amazing. One of the factors is that a beautiful creation like St Paul’s can survive for such a long period. It is a…
Walking through Paris, the City of Light, one late June evening, I passed by the Eiffel Tower. As it stood majestically above me, I wondered what inspired Gustave Eiffel to come up with such an outstanding design? How did it all come together? It must have been quite a project! So, I decided to conduct a virtual interview with Gustave and ask him how it all came together. By going to the…
Every week brings news of an amazing piece of technology. In the last few days, Blackberry have announced a rival to the iPad, with a hand held machine that does most things except cook breakfast. You can be anywhere now and communicate with whoever you wish so long as they have a magic machine in their hands. Not so long ago, our forefathers had to wait upon a fast horse,…
How did Walt Disney get the idea to develop cartoons that entertained millions of people? Also, how did he build the great Disneyland team? Of course, many of us come up with good ideas. Sometimes we work on them and develop an invention. That is only half the battle at best. To make money from your work you need to promote, distribute, sell and manage what you have created. It…