A prolific inventor and businessman, Sperry engineered a gyrocompass that made piloting ships, airplanes, and even spacecraft more reliable. He formed eight different companies to produce his inventions, some still in use today.

Use this site to learn about how Leo Baekeland invented plastic, and how this simple invention resulted in a "plastic revolution."

A biography of John Ericsson, a man who invented in three countries over most of a century. He invented an early locomotive, a hot-air engine, screw propeller, and the Monitor, which was used in the Civil War. This is a transcript of an...

A very readable biography of George Westinghouse, Jr., inverntor of the train air brake, among many other things. Find a list of his achievements and a discussion of the development of his inventions.

A bio on this important 1960's inventor who provided the world with the semiconductor injection laser, a purification of germanium and much more - most of which is still in use today.

Read about the history of the popular drink, Kool-Aid, and its inventor, Edwin Perkins.

From the Stone Age to today, the search is constantly underway for better, more efficient ways to cook food. Reflecting many of the advances in science and technology, the electric range has become a popular choice for homes and businesses.

The National Inventors Museum highlights Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller Brown for their work with the antifungal antibiotic, nystatin.

Have fun with history videos from the past which explored technologies and innovations of the future that is now, some relevant and others not, teaches students about the dreams of the past.

Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller Brown, inventors in New York state who developed the antifungal drug Nystatin, are featured in this brief biography.

Read about Roy Plunkett's invention, teflon, one of the best-known and most widely used polymers that was created by accident.

Use this site to learn about Vinton Cerf, the inventor who co-designed and developed "the protocols and structure of what became the Internet."

This site from the MIT Invention Dimension provides information regarding the long-distance collaboration of Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller which resulted in the development of the first anti-fungal antibiotic.

A short biographical sketch of Rudolf Diesel. Describes his personal and professional interests. Also discusses the details of the first diesel engine as invented by Rudolf Diesel.

This site honors Alfred Nobel for his invention of dynamite. Content includes a very brief biography and a focus on the impact of dynamite on our culture.

This site honors Ernst F. W. Alexanderson for his invention of the high-frequency alternator radio and his pioneering efforts in developing picture transmission for television.

As the inventor of the lightbulb, phonograph, and the printing telegraph, Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), improved the daily lives of everyday people.

This site provides information on Colin S. Twitchell, inventor of the multi-terrain wheelchair. Learn what inspired Twitchell and about his career at MIT.

This brief article talks about how Luther Burbank (1849-1926 CE) invented the "Idaho" potato, the July Elberta peach, the Santa Rosa plum, and the Flaming Gold nectarine through his crossbreeding experiments, which changed the world of...

Learn about the inventor of "the first reliable low-cost, mass-produced medical respirator," Forrest Bird. This article overviews his education and career, the development of the respirator, and the effects the respirator has had on the...

Read about the education and career of Raymond V. Damadian, inventor of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and learn how the MRI has impacted the field of medicine.

In a career spannig over 40 years, [Gertrude Belle] Elion (1918-1999 CE) invented some of the 20th century's most significant lifesaving drugs. Read about the life and accomplishments of this scientist who won the Nobel Prize for...

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Benjamin Franklin and some of his inventions. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

An overview of historians' views of the causes of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and of the inventions, inventors, and industries that propelled it.