The Stuff of Genius

Have you ever had an idea that seems crazy, like pocket-sized clocks, the flexible straw or dishwashers? Every invention starts out as an...
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Video Episodes:

Living the High Lif...
10 Views
19:37:59 05/18/12

Unlike many modern inventions, high heels can't be traced to a single inventor. In fact, this unique form of footware dates back into antiquity. Listen in and lear...

Living the High Life: The Evolution of High Heels

Added 05/18/12
10 Views

Living the High Life: The Evolution of High Heels

[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 19:37:59 05/18/12
Unlike many modern inventions, high heels can't be traced to a single inventor. In fact, this unique form of footware dates back into antiquity. Listen in and learn more about the evolution of high heels.

The Story of the St...
9 Views
20:25:42 05/11/12

Nowadays it seems that every doctor has a stethoscope. But who invented this nifty device, and how? Tune in to learn more.

The Story of the Stethoscope

Added 05/11/12
9 Views

The Story of the Stethoscope

[LESS INFO] 9 VIEWS | ADDED 20:25:42 05/11/12
Nowadays it seems that every doctor has a stethoscope. But who invented this nifty device, and how? Tune in to learn more.

The Modern Seatbelt
72 Views
18:51:02 05/04/12

Before Nils Bohlin created the modern seatbelt, he designed ejection seats for Saab aircraft. Learn how Nils' Stuff of Genius changed the world -- and saved millio...

The Modern Seatbelt

Added 05/04/12
72 Views

The Modern Seatbelt

[LESS INFO] 72 VIEWS | ADDED 18:51:02 05/04/12
Before Nils Bohlin created the modern seatbelt, he designed ejection seats for Saab aircraft. Learn how Nils' Stuff of Genius changed the world -- and saved millions of lives -- in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Cyril Callister: Th...
178 Views
16:08:24 04/27/12

Today, Vegemite is an iconic Australian condiment and a piece of the country's national identity. Yet this wasn't always the case. Tune in and meet Cyril Callister...

Cyril Callister: The Man Who Made Australia Vegemighty

Added 04/27/12
178 Views

Cyril Callister: The Man Who Made Australia Vegemighty

[LESS INFO] 178 VIEWS | ADDED 16:08:24 04/27/12
Today, Vegemite is an iconic Australian condiment and a piece of the country's national identity. Yet this wasn't always the case. Tune in and meet Cyril Callister, the genius behind Vegemite.

Daniel Fahrenheit a...
190 Views
16:16:53 04/20/12

Daniel Fahrenheit built several types of thermometers, but his Stuff of Genius wasn't restricted to a few temperature measuring devices. Tune in and learn how Dani...

Daniel Fahrenheit and the Mercury Thermometer

Added 04/20/12
190 Views

Daniel Fahrenheit and the Mercury Thermometer

[LESS INFO] 190 VIEWS | ADDED 16:16:53 04/20/12
Daniel Fahrenheit built several types of thermometers, but his Stuff of Genius wasn't restricted to a few temperature measuring devices. Tune in and learn how Daniel Fahrenheit invented the system that bears his name today.

Mr. Warren and the ...
186 Views
19:51:34 04/13/12

Nowadays flight recorders are a mandatory piece of equipment for all commercial planes -- but why? Tune in and learn more about black box recorders, as well as the...

Mr. Warren and the Black Box

Added 04/13/12
186 Views

Mr. Warren and the Black Box

[LESS INFO] 186 VIEWS | ADDED 19:51:34 04/13/12
Nowadays flight recorders are a mandatory piece of equipment for all commercial planes -- but why? Tune in and learn more about black box recorders, as well as the genius behind them, in this podcast.

How William Burroug...
184 Views
16:20:56 04/06/12

Although numerous inventors had devised adding machines of some sort, William Seward Burroughs invented the first practical calculator. Tune in to learn more about...

How William Burroughs Made It All Add Up

Added 04/06/12
184 Views

How William Burroughs Made It All Add Up

[LESS INFO] 184 VIEWS | ADDED 16:20:56 04/06/12
Although numerous inventors had devised adding machines of some sort, William Seward Burroughs invented the first practical calculator. Tune in to learn more about his Stuff of Genius in this podcast.

James Russell and t...
193 Views
15:51:05 03/30/12

As an audiophile, James Russell loved his record collection despite the scratching and warping of vinyl. As an inventor, he knew there had to be a better way to pl...

James Russell and the Compact Disc

Added 03/30/12
193 Views

James Russell and the Compact Disc

[LESS INFO] 193 VIEWS | ADDED 15:51:05 03/30/12
As an audiophile, James Russell loved his record collection despite the scratching and warping of vinyl. As an inventor, he knew there had to be a better way to play music. Learn more about his Stuff of Genius in this episode.

Rubik's Cube
227 Views
16:41:15 03/23/12

As a professor in Budapest, Erno Rubik had a pretty swell day job -- but his hobby was even more fascinating. Tune in and learn how Erno Rubik's hobby became the b...

Rubik's Cube

Added 03/23/12
227 Views

Rubik's Cube

[LESS INFO] 227 VIEWS | ADDED 16:41:15 03/23/12
As a professor in Budapest, Erno Rubik had a pretty swell day job -- but his hobby was even more fascinating. Tune in and learn how Erno Rubik's hobby became the brain-teasing Stuff of Genius that baffles millions in this episode.

Bunsen Burners
211 Views
14:48:44 03/16/12

Nowadays Bunsen burners are an everyday laboratory device, but this wasn't always the case. Tune in and learn more about the fascinating life of Robert Bunsen and ...

Bunsen Burners

Added 03/16/12
211 Views

Bunsen Burners

[LESS INFO] 211 VIEWS | ADDED 14:48:44 03/16/12
Nowadays Bunsen burners are an everyday laboratory device, but this wasn't always the case. Tune in and learn more about the fascinating life of Robert Bunsen and his Stuff of Genius in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Neon Lights
228 Views
18:45:19 03/09/12

Have you ever been curious about the story behind those bright city lights? Then tune in and learn how Georges Claude's Stuff of Genius illuminated the world of ad...

Neon Lights

Added 03/09/12
228 Views

Neon Lights

[LESS INFO] 228 VIEWS | ADDED 18:45:19 03/09/12
Have you ever been curious about the story behind those bright city lights? Then tune in and learn how Georges Claude's Stuff of Genius illuminated the world of advertising in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Hugh Bradner and th...
216 Views
17:50:43 03/02/12

Today wetsuits are considered essential equipment for most divers -- but this wasn't always the case. Tune in to learn how a brilliant physicist created the Stuff ...

Hugh Bradner and the Wetsuit

Added 03/02/12
216 Views

Hugh Bradner and the Wetsuit

[LESS INFO] 216 VIEWS | ADDED 17:50:43 03/02/12
Today wetsuits are considered essential equipment for most divers -- but this wasn't always the case. Tune in to learn how a brilliant physicist created the Stuff of (underwater) Genius.

Biro and the Ballpo...
244 Views
16:24:41 02/24/12

In one form or another, pens have been around for centuries. Unfortunately, they've also been messy, inconvenient and unreliable. Learn how Laszlo Biro's Stuff of ...

Biro and the Ballpoint Pen

Added 02/24/12
244 Views

Biro and the Ballpoint Pen

[LESS INFO] 244 VIEWS | ADDED 16:24:41 02/24/12
In one form or another, pens have been around for centuries. Unfortunately, they've also been messy, inconvenient and unreliable. Learn how Laszlo Biro's Stuff of Genius brought pens into the modern age in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

How Bakelite Change...
241 Views
15:55:33 02/17/12

After making millions from a new photo paper, many people would retire. Leo Baekeland, on the other hand, was just getting started. Learn more about how he invente...

How Bakelite Changed the World

Added 02/17/12
241 Views

How Bakelite Changed the World

[LESS INFO] 241 VIEWS | ADDED 15:55:33 02/17/12
After making millions from a new photo paper, many people would retire. Leo Baekeland, on the other hand, was just getting started. Learn more about how he invented Bakelite -- and how it changed the world -- in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Norman Borlaug's Su...
234 Views
17:22:34 02/10/12

Norman Borlaug spent most of his life fighting world hunger and led the effort to grow more productive, disease-resistant wheat strains. Learn more about The Stuff...

Norman Borlaug's Super Wheat

Added 02/10/12
234 Views

Norman Borlaug's Super Wheat

[LESS INFO] 234 VIEWS | ADDED 17:22:34 02/10/12
Norman Borlaug spent most of his life fighting world hunger and led the effort to grow more productive, disease-resistant wheat strains. Learn more about The Stuff of Genius in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

TV Remotes
255 Views
19:51:11 02/03/12

Modern TV viewers use remote controls to channel surf from the comfort of their seat -- but it wasn't always this easy. Learn more about the convenience -- and con...

TV Remotes

Added 02/03/12
255 Views

TV Remotes

[LESS INFO] 255 VIEWS | ADDED 19:51:11 02/03/12
Modern TV viewers use remote controls to channel surf from the comfort of their seat -- but it wasn't always this easy. Learn more about the convenience -- and consequence -- of Robert Adler's Stuff of Genius in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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How Zhou Youguang Invented Pinyin

Show: The Stuff of Genius

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How Zhou Youguang Invented Pinyin
05/07/10

The Chinese language uses non-phonetic characters, which means that a reader can't tell how a word is pronounced by looking at its written form. For readers facing unfamiliar Chinese words, life was rough -- at least, that is, until Zhou Youguang.