Since the dawn of time, inventions have formed the wheel of progress for human civilization. There have been numerous inventions throughout history in several areas and today, there are many which have been forgotten with time. New Delhi: Necessity is the mother of invention.
Since the dawn of time, inventions have formed the wheel of progress for human civilization. While the need has been the primary driving force for most new inventions, the latter in turn has increased the safety, security and luxury of human beings and has ensured that we evolve towards a better life. There have been numerous inventions throughout history in several areas and today, there are many which have been forgotten with time.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the forgotten inventions of human civilisation. 5 famous inventions which have been forgotten Greek Fire The Greek Fire was a chemical weapon that the Eastern Roman Empire used and manufactured from the 7th through the 14th Centuries. Its recipe was a closely guarded state secret and Byzantine sailors would spray it from tubes or toss grenades loaded with Greek fire onto enemy ships.
The Greek Fire could burn on water, which made it a destructive naval incendiary weapon. It was one of the most significant weaponry invented in ancient times that changed the mode of warfare. As can be guessed, with the invention of new weapons in subsequent centuries, the Greek Fire lost its effectiveness.
Jacquard Loom It is a device fitted to a loom that makes the process of manufacturing textiles with such complex patterns easier. In 1804, it was patented by Joseph Marie Jacquard based on earlier inventions by Basile Bouchon, Jean Baptiste Falcon and Jacques Vaucanson. It used punched cards to control the actions of the loom, a system considered a precursor to modern programming.
It not only transformed the textile industry its use of replaceable punched cards to control a sequence of operations is said to have inspired the Analytical Engine of Charles Babbage. Damascus steel Damascus steel was used to make swords in the Middle East. According to legends, swords made from steel could cut through rocks or could shear another blade.
It is considered to be a high carbon crucible steel of the blades of historical swords forged using the Wootz process in the Near East. The steel became famous for being tough, capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge and resistant to shattering. Even though it has Damascus in its name, it is considered that many of the early swords were forged from steel or at least the steel ingots were imported from Southern India or Khorasan, Iran.
Modern steelmakers and metallurgists have studied Damascus steel to learn how it was made. Steam Engine The steam engine was arguably one of the finest inventions that took place during the Industrial Revolution. It led to a massive change in the transport system all over the world.
In 1712, Thomas Newcomen first conceived the idea of the steam engine, and later James Watt improved it. The steam engine was not just used for trains but also in several other applications, from powering factories to other locomotives and ships. Thanks to this invention, the world found a reliable and efficient source of power for the first time, setting the stage for the modern era to begin.
Electric Pen In 1876, Thomas Edison, the legendary American inventor and businessman patented the Electric Pen. It had a small electric motor that powered a pen with a reciprocating tip. As the user wrote on the paper, the electric pen made tiny perforations in the paper.
Then, the user could make several copies of the paper by rolling ink over it like a stencil. However, this invention was not commercially successful..
