Other
Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking: Virtual Tour
Take a virtual tour of the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking, and learn about the history of writing in ancient civilizations, the invention of paper, the spread to Europe, the impact it had, how paper is made, the evolution of...
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who pioneered the technology that would one day form the basis for today's WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth.
National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame: Eli Whitney: Cotton Gin
Read about Eli Whitney's cotton gin and its importance to the cotton industry.
National Library of Scotland
National Library of Scotland: Digital Archive: Scottish Science Hall of Fame
Biographical and scientific information about discoveries and technological advances credited to ten Scots, Lord Kelvin (Kelvin scale), Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), James Watt (steam engine), and Alexander Fleming (penicillin),...
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: Charles H. Townes, ph.d.
Biography of Charles Townes who is credited for discovering microwave and laser technology from which came digital storage transforming our world.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Libraries: Innovators Gallery
Who invented the tennis racket, Crayola Crayons or Tupperware? Smithsonian site invites users to explore the achievements of a variety of American innovators and inventors.
Other
American Artifacts: The Imaginative Inventor
Just for fun. A website with a list of strange inventions by would-be entrepreneurs. Click on any to see a picture and description of the device.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: James T. Russell
This site provides a biography of James T. Russell, inventor of the compact disk, and the basic ideas behind the technology.
Vassar College
1896: Inventions
A brief recounting of the influx of inventions in the late 19th century that flooded the market. Of particular interest is the description of the use of hot air balloons.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Teenage Inventor Alexis Lewis Thinks That Kids Have the Solutions
A learning module that begins with "Teenage Inventor Alexis Lewis Thinks That Kids Have the Solutions" by Megan Gambino, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as...
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Process
Through a number of articles, stories and research we learn about the invention process, including communicating your ideas, staying resilient when things go wrong.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How the Bendy Straw Was Invented
In the twelfth installment of our 'Moments of Vision' series, Jessica Oreck shares the origins of the bendy straw.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Invention of the Week: Alexander Graham Bell
This site provides a biographical sketch of Alexander Graham Bell and his inventions. Find out about Bell's patents in addition to the telephone.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Thomas Edison National Historical Park: Thomas Edison
This site includes information about Thomas Edison's inventions and his home and family life. Find a lengthy biography and several sounds from Edison's original phonograph.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Crookes Tube 1870
English chemist Sir William Crookes (1832 - 1919) invented the Crookes tube to study gases, which fascinated him. His work also paved the way for the revolutionary discovery of the electron and the invention of X-ray machines.
New York Times
New York Times: 32 Innovations That Will Change Your Tomorrow
If you don't know that the incandescent light was a failure before it was a success, it's easy to write off some modern energy innovations like solar panels because they haven't hit the big time fast enough. Worse, the fairy-tale view of...
Library of Congress
Loc: Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers
Over 49,000 digitized primary documents having to do with the Wright brothers and their work with flight. A timeline of the brothers' work, a family tree, and other special presentations are offered.
Science Struck
Science Struck: What Did Albert Einstein Invent
Read about some of the significant inventions of Albert Einstein.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Brain Stimulating Invention Ideas for 6th Graders
Presents some ideas for inventions that 6th graders could try for a science project.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: No. 326: Colonial Women Inventors
Provides information on two Colonial women inventors. This is a transcript of an accompanying radio broadcast.
University of Virginia
University of Virginia: Jefferson as an Inventor
This section of a larger site on Thomas Jefferson discusses his involvement in the development of the patent system. Here, read about Jefferson's committment to science and his role as an inventor.
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Peanuts, Pecans, and Peas, Please
George Washington Carver, a great scientist, changed the economy of the South with his agricultural knowledge. This lesson will investigate how the lowly peanut kept the cotton farmers from losing everything.
Great Idea Finder
The Great Idea Finder: Qwerty Keyboard Invention
Where did the idea of the QWERTY keyboard come from? Read about typewriter inventor, Christopher Sholes, and how he came up with his idea of a new keyboard design way back in 1875. Additional links to related sites, fascinating facts,...
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Forgotten Inventors
Here is an accounting of a few inventions, most of which were invented in the 1800s, that often are overlooked. Find out about how the can opener was invented as well as that clothing staple, the denim jeans.