In this book, Richard W. Bulliet focuses on three major phases in the evolution of the wheel and their relationship to the needs and ambitions of human society. He begins in 4000 B. C. E. with the first wheels affixed to axles. He then follows with the innovation of wheels turning independently on their axles and concludes five thousand years later with the caster, a single rotating and pivoting wheel. Bulliet's most interesting finding is that a...

"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...

An exploration of the scientific processes used by inventors that describes how a number of inventions were created, discussing light bulbs, electronics, the Internet, plastics, and more.

Frankie Sparks, the self-proclaimed "best inventor in the third grade," does research and creates a tool to try to persuade her classmates that a rat would make the best class pet.

"From the New York Times-bestselling author of Where Good Ideas Come From and Everything Bad Is Good for You, a new look at the power and legacy of great ideas. In this illustrated volume, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences....

The writer of the New York Times Magazine' s popular "Who Made That?" column explains how better ideas enter the world, revealing the fabled "ah-a" moment to be the result of a series of steps anyone can apply to solve the problems we encounter in everyday life.

"Hugo Sprouts is a fantastic tale about a boy frustrated with being small. Luckily, Hugo P. Sprouts is a mad scientist and determined to find a solution..."--

Griffin Bing and his friends are trying to locate Mr. Fielder's missing thirty million dollar lottery ticket, and thwart the local bully, Darren Vader, who wants to find it for himself--and Mr. Bing's latest invention may help.

Ten-year-old Harold, the adopted son of a food inventor, discovers that his father's latest invention, soda pop that produces the world's longest burps, also generates furry creatures known as Fizzies.

"Under the light of a silvery moon, Bear wanders into people town and discovers a springy thing, a bouncy thing--a sit-on-it, jump-on-it thing! This Thingity-Jig is too heavy to carry home by himself, so Bear runs back to the woods and asks for help. Too bad for Bear, his friends are sleepy and shoo him away. So Bear invents a Rolly-Rumpity to wheel the Thingity-Jig home, but then it all gets stuck in the mud! How will Bear tackle this bump in the...