Patents & Inventions

The dramatic human story of an epic scientific quest: the search for the solution of how to calculate longitude and the unlikely triumph of an English genius. New Book... More

Drawing on the best technology writing that has appeared in The Economist, this collection is a thought-provokiing guide to where we are and where we are headed as we continue and implement the unprecendented technological innovation and challenges of our age.Drawing on the best technology writing t... More

Gurney chronicles the misadventures of those who attempted to perfect the compass, an instrument so precious to sixteenth-century seamen that, by law, any man found tampering with it had his hand pinned to the mast with a dagger.COMPASS CHRONICLES the misadventures of those who attempted to perfect ... More

The book that helped earn Thomas P. Hughes his reputation as one of the foremost historians of technology of our age and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1990, "American Genesis" tells the sweeping story of America's technological revolution. Unlike other histories of technology, which focus on ... More

No toaster is an island. In fact, as Harvey Molotch demonstrates in this sparkling tour of how things are created, the everyday objects of our life are a delicate and clever intermingling of design, timing and functionality that mirrors contemporary life."Where" "Stuff Comes" From is about paper cli... More

"Protecting Your Ideas" is a succinct, straightforward guide to the patent system. This guide presents the steps involved in obtaining patent protection for inventions. It is easy to read and brimming with essential information and advice compounded from FAQs posed by the author's academic and indus... More

The colorful true stories of ten monumental feuds in the history of technology The history of technology is full of heated disputes over who, exactly, invented what. In this encore to his international bestsellers Great Feuds in Science and Great Feuds in Medicine, Hal Hellman brings to life ten of ... More

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Bio-inspiration – Engineering New Materials and Devices from Nature A cutting-edge science book in the style of Fermat's Last Theorem and Chaos from an exciting and accessible new voice in popular science writing. Bio-inspiration is the new engineering. Instead of – in its crudest ter... More

From the steam engine to the search engine, Harold Evans presents an illustrated history of two centuries of American innovators. Vast and beautifully designed, scores of men and women populate this rollicking survey which reveals the surprising truths behind many modern creations, as well as valuab... More

Stone choppers, eyed needles, camel saddles, chariots, and contraceptives--the latest book in this popular series takes readers on an eye-opening and unusual journey through early human innovations--some fundamental and others intriguing or bizarre.Stone choppers, eyed needles, camel saddles, chario... More

Harrison takes readers on a wild ride through the history of the gadgets and gizmos people use every day.This extremely lively-and intricately researched-book is a rousing romp through the history of inventions and their inventors through time, from the tiny paperclip-coined "the world's most valuab... More

"The Inventors Survival Guide," a process partner in a book, will save you thousands of dollars The content is targeted for inventions marketed in the USA by inventors, who have access to the Internet wherever they live in the world. With high profile guest writers on everything from agreements to ... More

Now available in a text-only paperback edition, "They Made America" is a stirring and supremely readable work of history--a celebration of the entrepreneurial energy that has fueled this nation since its inception.... More

During the great ages of exploration "the longitude problem" was the greatest of scientific challenges. Lacking the ability to determine their longitude, sailors were literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Ships ran aground on rocky shores; those traveling welt-known routes were e... More

Unlocking the mysteries surrounding Da Vinci's notebooks, these full-color pages breathe life into Leonardo's inventions, from flying and war machines to musical instruments.Building on the success of The Da Vinci Code--a bestseller in 48 countries--this book brings inventions from the artist's orig... More