50 things you should know about inventions

the long version

In the ancient world, philosopher Archimedes designed new machines for farming. During the Renaissance, artist Leonardo da Vinci sketched his ideas for wondrous flying machines. Scientist James Watt provided ideas that would power the Industrial Revolution, while American inventor Thomas Edison patented more than 1000 inventions that would shape modern life, including the movie camera and the electric light bulb. Today's inventors still explore ideas for new and clever technology, producing miniature machines that we can only see under a microscope. Step inside the world of invention and see where it might take us next.