An introduction to Leonardo da Vinci's genius focusing on his famous notebook sketches and the modern inventions they predicted. In 1781, Thomas Paine came up with a model for a single-span bridge; in 1887, Adolf Eugen Fick made the first pair of contact lenses; and in 1907, Paul Cornu built the first helicopter. But Leonardo da Vinci thought of all these ideas more than five hundred years ago! At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist,...

Shares a portrait of the inventor famed for such innovations as the incandescent lightbulb, batteries, and movie cameras, exploring his life-changing achievements and perseverance in the face of numerous failures.

The inventions and inspiration of Benjamin Franklin and how they've stood the test of time What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you'd set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, and invented bifocals-all inspired by his common sense and intelligence. In this informative...

"A structural engineer examines the seven most basic building blocks of engineering that have shaped the modern world"--

Reveals predictions made in "Popular Mechanics" magazine between 1903 and 1969 about what the future would hold! "Surrounded by wonders and a fast-evolving culture of innovation, it's just as chalenging today for us to imagine the next century as it must have been for our early 20th century colleagues to envision the fabled year 2000." -- p.6.