We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells--but what about the less famous inventors?
We
know
the
famous
ones
--
the
Thomas
Edisons
and
the
Alexander
Graham
Bells
--
but
what
about
the
less
famous
inventors
?
What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper?
What
about
the
people
who
invented
the
traffic
light
and
the
windshield
wiper
?
Shouldn't we know who they are?
Should
n't
we
know
who
they
are
?
Joan Mclean thinks so.
Joan
Mclean
thinks
so
.
In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she's developed a course on the topic.
In
fact
,
Mclean
,
a
professor
of
physics
at
Mountain
University
in
Range
,
feels
so
strongly
about
this
matter
that
she
's
developed
a
course
on
the
topic
.
In addition to learning "who" invented "what", however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the "why" and "how" questions.
In
addition
to
learning
``
who
''
invented
``
what
''
,
however
,
Mclean
also
likes
her
students
to
learn
the
answers
to
the
``
why
''
and
``
how
''
questions
.
According to Mclean.
According
to
Mclean
.
"When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try."
``
When
students
learn
the
answers
to
these
questions
,
they
are
better
prepared
to
recognize
opportunities
for
inventing
and
more
motivated
to
give
inventing
a
try
.
''
Her students agree.
Her
students
agree
.
One young man with a patent for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement.
One
young
man
with
a
patent
for
an
unbreakable
umbrella
is
walking
proof
of
McLean
's
statement
.
"If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper's invention," said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major, "I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rainstorm into something so constructive."
``
If
I
had
not
heard
the
story
of
the
windshield
wiper
's
invention
,
''
said
Tommy
Lee
,
a
senior
physics
major
,
``
I
never
would
have
dreamed
of
turning
my
bad
experience
during
a
rainstorm
into
something
so
constructive
.
''
Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer.
Lee
is
currently
negotiating
to
sell
his
patent
to
an
umbrella
producer
.
So, just what is the story behind the windshield wiper Well, Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City.
So
,
just
what
is
the
story
behind
the
windshield
wiper
Well
,
Mary
Anderson
came
up
with
the
idea
in
1902
after
a
visit
to
New
York
City
.
The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights, so she jumped aboard a streetcar.
The
day
was
cold
and
stormy
,
but
Anderson
still
wanted
to
see
the
sights
,
so
she
jumped
aboard
a
streetcar
.
Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield, she found herself wondering why there couldn't be a built--in device for cleaning the window.
Noticing
that
the
driver
was
struggling
to
see
through
the
snow
covering
the
windshield
,
she
found
herself
wondering
why
there
could
n't
be
a
built
--
in
device
for
cleaning
the
window
.
Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions.
Still
wondering
about
this
when
she
returned
home
to
Birmingham
,
Alabama
,
Anderson
started
drafting
out
solutions
.
One of her ideas, a lever on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper.
One
of
her
ideas
,
a
lever
on
the
inside
of
a
vehicle
that
would
control
an
arm
on
the
outside
,
became
the
first
windshield
wiper
.
Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations.
Today
we
benefit
from
countless
inventions
and
innovations
.
It's hard to imagine driving without Garrett A.Morgan's traffic light.
It
's
hard
to
imagine
driving
without
Garrett
A.Morgan
's
traffic
light
.
It's equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J.Blodgett's innovation that makes glass invisible.
It
's
equally
impossible
to
picture
a
world
without
Katherine
J.Blodgett
's
innovation
that
makes
glass
invisible
.
Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses?
Can
you
picture
life
without
clear
windows
and
eyeglasses
?
We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells--but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper? Shouldn't we know who they are?  Joan Mclean thinks so. In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she's developed a course on the topic. In addition to learning "who" invented "what", however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the "why" and "how" questions. According to Mclean. "When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try."  Her students agree. One young man with a patent for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement. "If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper's invention," said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major, "I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rainstorm into something so constructive." Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer.  So, just what is the story behind the windshield wiper Well, Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City. The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights, so she jumped aboard a streetcar. Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield, she found herself wondering why there couldn't be a built--in device for cleaning the window. Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions. One of her ideas, a lever on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper.  Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations. It's hard to imagine driving without Garrett A.Morgan's traffic light. It's equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J.Blodgett's innovation that makes glass invisible. Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses?