The Kodak camera, the brain scanner, the steam turbine, the telephone--such inventions not only changed the course of history, but also changed our understanding of what the human race could achieve. An authoritative guide to the remarkable history of human innovation, this second edition brings readers up to date with insightful discussions of the new, present-day technologies society already takes for granted--from in vitro fertilization to the Internet. Organized chronologically, the book begins with a look at the navigational tools that mapped the New World before moving on to the steam-powered factory machines of the Industrial Revolution, the lifesaving medicines of World Wars I and II, and the dynamically designed consumer goods of the 1950s and 1960s. An essay about each invention, written by an expert in the field, includes a short history of the invention's creation, use, and significance.
