Scotland is a tiny nation with a current population
of five million. Amaze your self and your friends with the
huge contribution we have made to the world.
Below is a small selection of the many Scottish
inventions that have shaped the modern world. We will add to this
regularly, so please visit again soon.
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Bicycle
Kilpatrick MacMillan (1813-78) invented the first bicycle in 1840
when he added pedals and cranks to an existing bicycle like design
which the rider propelled by pushing his feet against the ground.
MacIntosh
Charles Macintosh (1766-1843) obtained a patent in 1823 for a rubber
solution for waterproofing fabrics. Even today the rainwear that is
produced from this fabric is known as a "Macintosh".
Matches
Invented by Isaac Holden (1807-97).
Paraffin
James Young (1811-83) patented a process of making paraffin from
coal. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, paraffin lamps
became the primary source of light in most homes.
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) discovered the antibiotic penicillin
in 1928 which is still in widespread use today.
Pneumatic tires
John Boyd Dunlop (1840-1921) patented the inflatable tire in 1888
after he replaced the solid rubber tires on his child's tricycle with
inflated hoses.
Postage stamp/Postmark
James Chalmers (1782-1853) invented the adhesive postage stamp in
1834. He also invented the postmark to prevent the stamp being
used again and to identify it's place of posting.
Radar
Robert Watson-Watt (1892-1973) developed radar between the two world
wars. Radar was a crucial factor in maintaining air superiority over
Britain in WWII which in turn prevented invasion.
Steam engine
James Watt (1736-1819) had the idea for modifying the inefficient
steam engines of the day in 1765 and effectively became the father
of the industrial revolution. By adding a separate condenser and various other improvements to the existing designs he was able
to offer a viable alternative to water power which was prevalent at
the time.
Until then factories had to be near a water source for power and
sometimes dependant on sufficiently heavy rainfall. Watt's
design provided a power source that could be located anywhere and
used anytime.
Tarmac
John Loudon Mcadam (1756-1836) created the permanent road surface
"Tarmacadam" which revolutionized road building and is
still the basic design for road surfaces throughout the world.
Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) sent the first telephone message
in 1875 and patented his invention and formed the Bell telephone
company in 1877.
Television
John Logie Baird (1888-1946) first publicly demonstrated Television
in 1926. Although there are other claims to the
invention of TV, Baird is widely acknowledged to be the
father of the medium
