Inventions seem like they would come from the brilliant minds of men educated at the best universities with years of experience in a particular field of science or engineering. While that is often the case, great ideas can occur at any age: in fact, numerous world-renowned inventions were the brainchild of teenagers. Below is a list of some of the famous teen inventors, who can perhaps give you inspiration to pursue your dreams and ideas.
* Chester Greenwood
The next time you put earmuffs on your ears when walking to school or attending a football game, you can thank Chester Greenwood. At the mere age of 15, this Maine native invented the earmuff. Where did the idea strike him? Apparently, while he was ice skating, and the first ear muff, constructed by Chester’s grandmother, consisted of pieces of fur attached to pieces of wire. Soon a patent was applied for, and Chester spent the rest of his life employing others to produce the must-have winter accessory the earmuff.
* Louis Braille
Children learn at an early age that blind people are able to read Braille, a system of embossed characters that can be understood through touch. What they may not realize is that Louis Braille invented this amazing form of communication when only 15. Blinded himself at a young age, this prodigious boy did not allow his loss of sight stop him from pursuing his dreams – or from creating one of the most famous inventions of all time. His story is truly amazing.
* Blaise Pascal
Another famous French inventor, Blaise Pascal invented something that’s the part of people’s lives all over the world: the calculator. Starting at the age of 16, Blaise Pascal spent three years furiously working on a machine that, in 1642, evolved into the first mechanical calculator. At this time, the machine was called the Pascaline, which has evolved to what we now know as the calculator.
* Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
If you’ve studied biology, this name may be recognizable, since Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is known as the “Father of Microbiology.” Working as an apprentice in a cloth shop, this Dutch teen was exposed to his first microscope, which was more similar to what we know as a magnifying glass. By experimenting with his own microscope, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, aged 16, was able to modify the technical aspects of this device, inventing what would become lenses for microscopes. This seventeenth century scientist contributed a lifetime of work to microbiology.
These are just a few of the famous teen inventors who proved that age and experience were not required to change history and improve this world. Their stories are truly inspiring for both teenagers and adults alike.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Greenwood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Braille
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonie_van_Leeuwenhoek
http://www.ideafinder.com/features/classact/young.htm
