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Inventions & Discoveries
Weapons
- Machine Gun
- Inventor: James Puckle (England)
- Year: 1718
- Patent Name: “Defense Gun”
- Details: A hand-operated, rotating gun; the most advanced of its kind at the time.
- Dynamite
- Inventor: Alfred Nobel (Swedish scientist)
- Additional Fact: He established the Nobel Foundation via his will in 1900.
Scientific Instruments
- Thermometer/Thermoscope
- Inventor: Galileo (Italian physicist)
- Year: 1609
- Details: Invented an early form called the thermoscope.
- Telescope
- Inventor: Hans Lippershey
- Key Figure: Galileo Galilei was the first to use it for astronomical observations.
- Modern Example: The world’s largest neutrino telescope is the Ice Cube, built in 2010.
- Microscope
- Purpose: Used for the study of micro and nearby objects that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
- X-ray Spectrometer
- Inventors: Sir William Henry Bragg and his son, William Lawrence Bragg.
- Purpose: Used to examine the internal structure of crystals with X-rays.
- Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging)
- Inventor: Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (Scottish physicist)
- Year: 1935
- Laser
- Inventor: Theodore Maiman
- Date: May 16, 1960
- Principle: Demonstrated light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
Medical & Safety
- X-Ray Machine
- Discoverer: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
- Date: December 1895
- Name Origin: He named the rays “X-rays” as their nature was unknown.
- Safety Lamp
- Inventor: Sir Humphry Davy
Engines & Power
- Steam Engine
- Key Figure: James Watt is credited with his significant improvements to earlier models in 1763.
- Dynamo
- Inventor: Michael Faraday
- Gas Engine
- Inventor: Gottlieb Daimler
- Year: 1885
- Diesel Engine
- Inventor: Rudolph Diesel
- Year: 1895
Communication & Media
- Printing Press
- Inventor: Johannes Gutenberg
- Telephone
- Inventor: Alexander Graham Bell
- Year: 1876
- Radio
- Inventor: Guglielmo Marconi
- Television
- Inventor: J.L. Baird
- Location: United Kingdom
- Year: 1926
- Typewriter
- Inventor: Christopher Latham Sholes
Everyday Objects
- Electric Light Bulb
- Inventor: Thomas Alva Edison
- Fountain Pen
- Inventor: Lewis Edson Waterman
- Year: First practical pen invented in 1883 (patented 1884).
Scientists & Recognition
Nobel Prize
- Sir William Henry Bragg and his son William Lawrence Bragg shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915 for their work on X-ray crystallography.
Common Misconceptions
- Telescope: Galileo is often credited with the invention, but the inventor was Hans Lippershey. Galileo was the first to use it for astronomy.
- Penicillin: Discovered by Alexander Fleming, not J. Perkins.
Indian Scientists & Their Contributions
| Scientist | Field / Contribution | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| C.V. Raman (Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman) | Physics, Light Scattering | – Discovered the Raman Effect (1928). – Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (1930). – National Science Day is celebrated on February 28 in honor of this discovery. – Birth centenary celebrated in 1988. |
| Homi J. Bhabha | Nuclear Physics | – Widely regarded as the “Father of India’s Atomic Energy” program. – The Homi Bhabha Award is given for contributions to Nuclear Energy. |
| S. Ramanujan (Srinivasa Ramanujan) | Mathematics | – A renowned mathematician. – A biographical film, “The Man Who Knew Infinity” (2015), is based on his life. |
| Jagdish Chandra Bose | Physics & Biology | – Pioneering research in radio and microwave optics and plant physiology. – Invented the Crescograph to measure plant growth. – Not a Nobel Prize winner. |
| M.N. Saha (Meghnad Saha) | Astrophysics | – Famous for the theory of Thermal Ionisation. – The Saha Equation is fundamental to understanding stellar spectra. |
| Raja Ramanna | Nuclear Physics | – A key figure in the development of India’s first atomic bomb. – Director of the first nuclear test (Smiling Buddha) in 1974. |
| J.V. Narlikar (Jayant Vishnu Narlikar) | Astrophysics | – Developed a New Theory of Relativity with Fred Hoyle. – Has stated that Astrology is not considered a science. |
Other Notable Scientists
- S. Chandrashekhar: Nobel Prize winner in Physics (1983) for work on stellar evolution.
- Har Govind Khorana: Nobel Prize winner in Medicine (1968).
- M.S. Swaminathan: Associated with Agricultural science (Green Revolution).
- U.R. Rao: Associated with Space research (former chairman of ISRO).
- Stephen Hawking: Renowned British scientist and cosmologist known for work on black holes.
Awards & Recognition
- National Science Day: Celebrated on February 28 in honor of C.V. Raman.
- Homi Bhabha Award: Given for contributions to Nuclear Energy.
- Nobel Prize Winners from the list: C.V. Raman, S. Chandrashekhar, Har Govind Khorana.
- Non-Nobel Laureate: Jagdish Chandra Bose.
Scientific Fields & Principles
- Nuclear Physics: Associated with Homi J. Bhabha and Raja Ramanna.
- Thermal Ionisation: A principle contributed by M.N. Saha.
- New Theory of Relativity: Propounded by J.V. Narlikar and Fred Hoyle.
- Astrology: According to J.V. Narlikar, it is not considered a science.
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