Inventions and Inventors

 
Find out more about every day inventions like thes on the site for the Hidden Heroes exhibition . After choosing a language, you need to choose one or more objects to explore, then click on "Enter Exhibition".

The egg box hasn’t changed much since it was invented in the 1930s. Hungarian student Eva Valicsek tried to re-imagine the egg box so that is is more ecological and you can see the eggs!

Inventors don’t just make new products, they also improve existing ones. American university student Aaron Mickelson was shocked by all the unnecessary packaging on products: there is more packaging in American rubbish bins than any other category of rubbish. He imagined new ways of packaging products with little or no waste packaging. For example, a bar of soap has a box that dissolves in water. Just take it into the shower and the packaging disappears!

Izhar cardboard bike project from Giora Kariv on Vimeo.

Young Inventors

Do you have a good idea for an invention or an interesting science project? The Google Science Fair is a competition for pupils aged 13-18. This year’s competition just finished, so you have a year to prepare for the 2014 edition!
 
Last year’s inspiring winners include Jonah Kohn, 14, who invented a method that uses vibrations to help people with hearing problems hear music.

Jack Andraka, 15, invented a test for pancreatic cancer. Jack, from Maryland, U.S.A. got the idea after a family friend died of the disease. Pancreatic cancer is very difficult to detect. Patients are normally diagnosed only when the cancer is fatal. Only 6% of patients survive. Jack had an idea for a simple paper stick which can be used to test patients’ blood. It’s quick and not expensive. He sent his idea to a scientist, who said Jack could use his university lab. After seven months of hard work after school and at weekends, Jack perfected his invention and won two prestigious science prizes.

And Sakhiwe Shongwe and Bonkhe Mahlalela, both 14, from Swaziland. They created a simplified hydroponic system to help farmers grow more vegetables. Watch them explain their invention here.

Writing Instructions

Watch the Frankenworm experiment you can see on the Express Yourself page. They’re alive!!!