Inventors, Inventions & Scientific Discoveries
General Invention / Inventor Sites
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Ancient Inventions - Photos and descriptions of basic inventions from medieval times and earlier centuries, such as woven cloth, catapult, pottery, compass, stained glass, candles, and many others. (Smith College)
Best Inventions of 2009 [UPDATED!] - Time Magazine's choices for the year's best inventions. You can also view Time's choice of best inventions for
2008
2007,
2006,
2005,
2004, 2003,
2002, and 2001 (commercial sites). See also Popular Mechanics Annual Breakthrough Awards 
(commercial site) and The Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years from PBS's Nightly Business Report.
Case Files
- Learn about the life and work of dozens of important inventors and innovators, spanning the fields of Computing, Transportation, Cosmic Inquiry, Energy, and Communications. Mainly for high school students. (Franklin Institute)
Einstein's Legacy - Explains how x-rays, microwave ovens, lasers, tv screens, and related inventions work. High school and up. (University of Colorado)
Engines of Our Ingenuity - More than 1500 short essays taken from a radio series on inventions. Use the search box to search for a specific invention; to browse all the essays, go to the 'Full Titles of Episodes, with Keywords.' High school and up. (University of Houston)
Everyday Mysteries - Q & A about science and inventions such as GPS, boomerangs, frozen foods, automobiles, and more. Arranged by subject. Mostly for high school and up, though links may include good sites for younger students. (Library of Congress)
Everyday Science - Describes experiments being done with catalytic converters, hard drives, Alzheimer's Disease, HIV/AIDS, space travel, environmental cleanup, and more - and how they may impact your everyday life in the future. High school and up. (National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), U.S. Department of Energy). See more on the South Plainfield Public Library's Science page.
ExpoMuseum - Since the nineteenth century, World's Fairs have been a showcase for diverse cultures, scientific advancements, and new inventions. This site offers hundreds of links on the history of World's Fairs, from London's Great Exhibition of 1851 to Spain's Expo 2008, as well as information about upcoming fairs. (Personal / commercial site, by Urso Chappell)
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century - Lists the twenty inventions which had the greatest impact on the twentieth century, with a timeline and articles about the history of each. (National Academy of Engineering)
Greatest Inventors and Inventions - Biographies of a dozen great inventors, plus a timeline, quiz, games, links, and bibliography. Created by elementary school students, for elementary school students. (Thinkquest Library)
Greatest Inventions - Use the dropdown menus across the top to access invention timeline, lists of inventions and inventors, guides, and interactive pages. Keyword search was not working when tested, but you can use the A-Z index or the Sitemap page to navigate. (Thinkquest Library)
History of Invention - A timeline of invention from the wheel to the DVD. Click on any invention for more information (use the upper frame's scroll bar to read the full description). (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
History of Technology - In-depth history of technology in the Middle Ages, in Islamic Spain, and in China. High school and up. (San Jose State University)
How Everyday Things Are Made - 'If you've ever wondered how things are made - products like candy, cars, airplanes, or bottles - or if you've been interested in manufacturing processes, like forging, casting, or injection molding, then you've come to the right place.' Videos show how 40 different products, such as cars, jelly beans, chocolate, plastic bottles, and denim, are manufactured. Also provides links to virtual tours of factories. High-speed internet connection required to view videos (Stanford University). See also How Products Are Made; includes inventor biographies (Thomson Gale Publishing).
How Stuff Works - How does the picture get into your television set? How can the sound of a whole orchestra come out of a compact disc? This website explains exactly how all kinds of technologies work, 'from car engines to search engines, from cell phones to stem cells, and thousands of subjects in between.' High school and up. (Commercial site; a subsidiary of Discovery Communications, LLC)
Ingenious Inventions Throughout History 
- An interactive game, plus images, descriptions, and links to related sites. Inventions featured include the steam engine, carpet cleaner, telephone, battery radio, telecommunication cable, cotton gin, gramophone, electron microscope, and submarine. (Library of Congress)
Inventing Modern America: From the Microwave to the Mouse - In-depth profiles of five inventors and their inventions: computer mouse, balloon catheter, UV water purifier, Kevlar, and human-powered aircraft. Includes video. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Invention & Technology Magazine - If you enjoy reading about inventions, you'll find lots of interesting articles about all kinds of inventions in the latest issue and archives online. Searchable (Commercial site: American Heritage / Forbes Media). Another site, Invention at Play is a great place to nurture your own inventive talents. (Smithsonian)
Invention Dimension - Good 1- or 2-page biographies of hundreds of inventors, listed alphabetically by the inventor's name. You can also browse inventions by category. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Invention Links and Resources - Selected, annotated links to a variety of sites offering invention-related information, including sites for kids. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Inventions A to Z - Background on the invention of products from aspirin to zippers, with links and lists of recommended books. (Commercial site: Vaunt Design Group, an Internet consulting company)
Inventors A to Z - Includes biographies of some important inventors, with links and lists of recommended books. (Commercial site: Vaunt Design Group, an Internet consulting company)
Inventors Hall of Fame - Click on a broad subject area such as computer, industrial, or Nobel Prize winners, or click on 'Search' to look for a specific invention or inventor. You will get a picture of the inventor and a short biography. (National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum)
Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation - A great collection of online audio and video about inventors and inventions. For related materials, check out the Centerpieces and Resources sections of the site. (Smithsonian)
People and Discoveries - Stories of 120 twentieth-century scientists and their discoveries. You can search by name or keyword, browse discoveries chronologically or by broad subject. (PBS)
Renaissance Connection - Demonstrates connections between the Renaissance and our own era in many aspects of life, including the arts, lifestyles, commerce, and science & technology. (Allentown Art Museum)
Seven Wonders of the Modern World - Photos and brief descriptions of seven great civil engineering achievements of the 20th century: Channel Tunnel, CN Tower, Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Itaipu Dam, Netherlands North Sea Protection Works, and Panama Canal. (American Society of Civil Engineers)
Street Use - 'This site features the ways in which people modify and re-create technology... In short, stuff as it is actually used, and not how its creators planned on it being used.' High school and up. (Personal / commercial site, by Kevin Kelly of Wired Magazine)
Totally Absurd - Just for fun, a website dedicated to 'America's Goofiest Patents, featuring Real, USA Patented Inventions.' (Personal / commercial site, by by writer & artist Ted VanCleave )
What's That Stuff? - 'Ever wondered about what's really in hair coloring, Silly Putty, Cheese Wiz, artificial snow, or self-tanners?' These illustrated articles offer a look at the chemistry behind everyday products, as well as the history of their development. For high school and up. (American Chemical Society)
Who Made America? - Explores the life and work of American innovators in business and technology, from Eli Whitney and Samuel Morse to Ted Turner and Estee Lauder, plus many more whose names are less familiar. Profiles of each innovator can be viewed chronologically, geographically, and by category. For high school students. (PBS)
Women in Chemistry - Profiles women chemists of the past and present, and their work in environment, medicine, food, computers, and other fields (Chemical Heritage Foundation).
Zoom Inventors and Inventions - Short entries on inventions and inventors, listed A to Z. You can search by time period, by country, or by broad subjects such as communication, medicine, or transportation, and there is also a list of women and African-American inventors. Some entries include a picture. For elementary school students. (Enchanted Learning, commercial / user-supported site)
Individual Inventors, Inventions, Innovations & Discoveries
Anesthesia - Brief articles describing the first surgical operation performed under the influence of ether in 1846, what surgery was like before the development of anesthesia, and anesthesiology today. (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Aviation: Dream of Flight - Tells the story of human flight in words and images, from ancient myths to space travel, with a focus on the Wright brothers. Includes a timeline and list of recommended reading (Library of Congress). See also Milestones of Flight, 50 Years of the Space Age, and Air Mail in America (Smithsonian)
Computer History Timeline - A year-by-year history of the development of computers, from 1945 to 1990, with pictures (Computer History Museum). See also South Plainfield Public Library's COMPUTERS links page.
Connected Earth: How Communication Shapes the World - Fun and informative activities teach you more about the development of the telegraph, the telephone, wireless telecommunication, and personal computers, and how they work. Includes Explode the Equipment to learn more about these devices as well as fax machines, radios, and communications satellites. High school. (By BT.com and a network of UK museums)
Edison - Includes a biography of Thomas Edison, timeline, information about his inventions, overview of Edison and his era, and more (National Park Service). See also Edison Invents! and Edison after 40 (Smithsonian).
Electron - Text and images exploring the life and work of J.J. Thomson, whose 1897 experiments led to the discovery of the electron, a fundamental building block of matter, and to knowledge which makes today's modern electronic technologies possible. (American Institute of Physics)
Energy Facts for Kids - Explains the different sources and uses of renewable and nonrenewable energy; also offers an energy quiz, and biographies of historic pioneers in energy from Isaac Newton to G. E. Alcorn. Middle and high school students (US Department of Energy). World of Oil explains the history and geology of petroleum: how it is formed, methods of discovery, and a variety of everyday uses (Paleontological Research Institution / Cornell University). For more on petroleum, see Extreme Oil (PBS). The WhyFiles offer updated information on Nuclear Waste (University of Wisconsin). For more on renewable energy, see WhyFiles' Positive Energy page.
Ford - Describes the life and career of the Henry Ford, who invented the moving assembly line to manufacture automobiles (Henry Ford Museum).
Gramophone - A biography of Emile Berliner, and the story of how he invented an early sound recording and playing device called the Gramophone. (Library of Congress)
Nylon - Describes the invention and commercial development of this significant artificial fiber; article with photos. High school and up. (Smithsonian)
Polio Vaccine - A timeline about the history of polio and the development of the Salk Polio vaccine. (University of Pittsburgh)
Polymers (Plastics) - A brief explanation of what polymer plastics are, plus a timeline, biographies, and additional resources (Chemical Heritage Foundation). See also What Are Plastics? and Plastics Timeline (Plastics Historical Society). See also Sustainable Plastics for a discussion of problems with fossil-fuel based plastics and the potential of bio-based plastics (non-profit organization: Institute for Local Self-Reliance).
Race for DNA - An in-depth account of the drama behind the race to solve the structure of DNA, written from the perspective of chemist Linus Pauling. Includes primary sources including documents and audio & video clips. (Oregon State University)
Seeds of Trade - Click on Products to find out about the origins of plants from aloe to yam, their early cultivation and uses, and their role in modern life. You can also learn about categories of products (such as building materials or drugs), a historical era, or a region of the world. High school and up. (Natural History Museum, London)
Technology in America - Timelines, photos, and descriptions of important people and events in the history of the telephone, the television, and the New York City subway system. Also includes a feature on forgotten inventors. There is a related site on The Great Transatlantic Telegraph Cable. (PBS; commercial site)
Telephone - A brief overview of Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876, with links to more information, plus a timeline of communications technology from the 19th through the 21st centuries (AT&T). See also Telephone Tribute (personal site, by David Massey).
Television: The Farnsworth Archives - The story of Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of television (Farnsworth family site). See also Big Dream, Small Screen & TV Milestones (PBS), and MZTV Museum of Television (City TV & Panasonic). To learn about new developments in digital and high-definition TV technology, see The Future of Television (PBS)
Time - This online exhibit 'explores the changing ways we have measured, used, and thought about time over the past 300 years,' and how mechanical clocks increasingly came to regulate our daily lives. Organized by time periods, of course! (Smithsonian)
Toy Hall of Fame - Pictures and stories about the history of classic toys such as marbles, Crayola crayons, teddy bears, Barbie dolls, Play-Doh, bicycles, Monopoly, jigsaw puzzles, rocking horses, and many others. Site may be slow to load (Strong Children's Museum). See also History of Toys & Games (History Channel, commercial site).
Transistor - 'The Transistor was probably the most important invention of the 20th Century, and the story behind the invention is one of clashing egos and top secret research.' This site explores the history and science of transistors with text, images,
timeline,
video clips, and interactive games. (PBS)
Transportation: America on the Move - 'Transportation transformed America. Choose from three interconnected routes to explore how transportation shaped our lives, landscapes, culture, and communities.' Covers automobiles, bicycles, railroads, steamships, streetcars, air travel, and more; includes
transportation history videos,
transportation infrastructure videos, and
transportation technology videos. There is also a Themes index for exploring this large online exhibit. (Smithsonian)
