Cat Flaps and Mouse Traps: The Origins of Objects in Our Daily LivesWhy did Isaac Newton invent the cat flap? How did the first mousetrap come about? Why did it take nearly 20 years to make sliced bread?From the moment the alarm clock wakes us up in the morning until the time we switch the light off at night, we are surrounded by things without which our lives would be impossible: microwaves, televisions, cars, cell phones, and credit cards—the list is endless. Yet how often do we consider how such miniature wonders of our lives came about, who invented them, and why? The answers are often incredibly interesting. In this delightful volume, Harry Oliver reveals the most diverting and amusing stories that lie behind the objects and inventions we take for granted, from household items to the technology that fills our world. Everything around us was born from an idea, and as you read the pages in this book, the ordinary will soon appear rather more extraordinary than it did before. |
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19th century American Ancient arrived Aspartame became began selling biscuits bread brick Britain British Cai Lun CAT FLAPS chocolate coffee colour commercial cream created crossword cube developed device discovered drink early Egyptians electric engineer England eventually fire flavour fork French fried German glass Gottlieb Daimler graphite Greek HARRY OLIVER heat huge idea improved invented inventor jukebox known later launched Lego liquid Liquorice Allsorts London machine manufactured metal milk modern mosedale Mount Sapo Nescafé original paper patent Percy Shaw plastic popular problem produced Quorn radio realised recipe road Roman rubber Rubik's Cube sausage serotonin soap sold soldiers soon success teeth television temperature things Thomas Crapper toilet took tube Tupperware vacuum cleaner wheel wine wine gums wire word