Showing titles in Inventions & Inventors

How much do you know about Philo T. Farnsworth? Find out the facts you need to know about this inventor, scientist, and TV pioneer. You’ll learn about the early life, challenges, and major accomplishments of this important American.

A dirt trail in the woods is covered with thick mud and big bumps. What vehicle can get through? An ATV! All-terrain vehicles have wide, bumpy tires that provide good grip on all types of land. Young listeners will find out about the types of ATVs, their main parts, and how these versatile vehicles can be used for work and fun.

Vroom! A semitruck roars as it goes up a steep hill. The trailer is loaded with goods. A truck with a big engine pulls the trailer along. Together, the truck and trailer have 18 wheels! Young listeners will find out about the main parts of these huge vehicles, the kinds of cargo they carry, and why they are an important type of transportation.

Electric cars are becoming more common around the world. Young listeners will get a basic introduction to the main parts of these vehicles. They will see how electric cars are different from gas-powered vehicles and why electric cars are better for the environment. Get young listeners excited about electric vehicles!

It's time to go camping! With an RV, you will have everything you need! An RV is like a house on wheels. It has beds for sleeping. You can cook in an RV's kitchen. There are comfy places to sit too.

Zoom! Who needs four wheels when two wheels can be so much fun? While street motorcycles zoom around cities, dirt bikes fly over jumps and twist around dirt trails. Young listeners will find out about the types of motorcycles, their main parts, and why these vehicles are so popular.

Some race cars look a lot like regular cars. Others have thin bodies and open wheels. Some race on dirt, while others race on smooth paved tracks. But they all have one thing in common...speed!

Human transportation has come a long way since the invention of the wheel. Vehicles of all sorts have us speeding across land, through water, and in the skies. What might be next? From self-driving cars to jet packs, listeners will discover exciting new ways they may get around in the future.

People have been traveling over water to get from here to there for thousands of years, but not in these vehicles! Long ago, people could only dream of what modern technology would bring. Take a tour of some of the most unique and fascinating watercraft around.

Imagine you arrive at school and realize you forgot to feed the dog. No problem. Pull out your phone and command the dog dish to dispense a serving of food. That's all there is to it—if you live a smart home. What once sounded like science fiction is now a reality for some families.

A virtual assistant by any name—Alexa, Siri, whoever—can be a sweet addition to your home. You might use one for simple jobs like playing music or streaming podcasts. And you might use one to communicate with friends and remind you about homework coming due while helping you make your breakfast. Find out how digital assistants work and what the future might hold for this part of a high-tech home.

Trains and other vehicles that travel on rails and tracks have been around for hundreds of years. While most of these are for transportation, roller coasters and a few others are just for fun! Find out how maglev trains use magnets to reach speeds of more than 250 miles per hour. Discover what it's like to travel in a pod car, and learn how the world's wildest roller coasters live up to their scream-worthy rankings. See the most awesome rides on tracks and rails!

From the written word to the cell phone, human communication has come a long way. What might the future hold? Listeners can discover how virtual reality, holograms, and a fully connected "internet of things" may affect how they communicate in the near and distant future.

Hear about some of the world's most messed-up medical mishaps. Find out how each procedure, tool, or surgery failed, the basic science that was missed, and what doctors learned from their mistakes.

The wheel was invented more than 5,000 years ago, and it has brought some awesome vehicles our way. But this invention isn't done giving! Take a tour of some of the most unique and fascinating vehicles around.

Streaming puts a world of options at your fingertips when you’re at home and, with a smartphone or tablet, when you're on the go. Find out how streaming was invented, how it works, and what the future might hold for this part of a high-tech life.

Hear about some of the world's fastest transportation breakdowns. Find out how each form of transportation failed, the basic engineering missed during construction, and what engineers learned from their mistakes.

Hear about some of the world's greatest gadget disasters. Find out how each gadget failed, what went wrong with its design or manufacture, and what programmers learned from their mistakes.

Hear about some of the world's biggest building blunders. Find out how each structure failed, the basic building block that was missed during construction, and what engineers learned from their mistakes.

Humans are ingenious when it comes to meeting challenges. We invent all sorts of useful contraptions from the wheel to the can opener. But some of the things people have come up with are truly odd. Who came up with grass sandals, and why? Have you ever heard of a portable radio hat? Not many people have, but someone invented it. Get the inside scoop on these odd contraptions and many more weird inventions.