Introductory Notes

There is a reason why this section isn't simply called "Introduction". The term introduction embraces a wide scope of questions briefly disclosing the content of the following material. In contrast, the title introductory notes allows presentation of any materials in any order. It is a freedom dear to inventors and writers.

Let's start with a question: "Who holds the largest number of patents in the world?" 99% will answer "Thomas Edison" who owns 1,093 patents. However, the correct answer is "Dr. Yoshiro Nakamats". The wealth of Dr. Nakamats numbers in billions and is based mostly on his invention of the floppy disk. In addition, "to win the world patent race", he created another 1,266 inventions.

Each inventor and invention has its own heritage. One of the most impressive invention of Thomas Edison, along with the electric bulb and cement production technology, is establishment of a new type entity - scientific research institute, the purpose of which is very simple: make inventions.

The inventor of rubber vulcanization technologies Charles Goodyear believed he had a call from God to invent this technology. He suffered poverty and two sentences in debt jail for his dream. Finally, near the end of his life, Goodyear received around 60 patents answering his call.

The man who "invented 20th century" - Nikola Tesla - began his life in the United States working in Thomas Edison's company. He later left Edison and individually invented the generator of alternative current.

In third place in the "invention hierarchy" resides Edwin Herbert Land with 537 US patents. It is quite amazing that the idea of his world-renowned Polaroid system was generated by a question asked by his 3-year old daughter: "Why can we not receive the picture we just took right now?"

We do not hesitate to once again state: each invention has its own heritage. In our heritage section, you will find several stories about inventors and inventions. However, you will discover an "unusual" world of creations in the literature below:

• 53 1/2 Things That Changed the World : And Some That Didn't
  by Steve Parker, David West (May 1995)
• A History of Invention : From Stone Axes to Silicon Chips by William E. Schaaf, et al (February 2000)
• Accidents May Happen : 50 Inventions Discovered by Mistake (50 Inventions Discovered by Mistake)
  by Charlotte Foltz Jones, John O'Brien (Illustrator) (June 1996)
• Ancient Inventions
  by Peter James, Nick Thorpe (Contributor) (November 1995)
• Art and Technology Through the Ages (Ideas That Changed the World)
  by Jacqueline Dineen, et al. (May 1995)
• Asimov's Chronology of Science & Discovery
  by Isaac Asimov (December 1994)
• The Early Inventions (Ideas That Changed the World: The Greatest Discoveries & Inventions Series)
  by Robert R. Ingpen(Illustrator), et al. (January 1995)

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