Inventions that changed our lives

Examines the supply and demand development of plastic and its synthetic by-products of vinyl, polyester, Lycra, nylon, rayon and Teflon. Looks at how plastic has revolutionized daily chores, the retail industry, and the music industry. Explores the use of plastic from injection molding technology to plastic surgery.

Text and illustrations present the invention and development of a machine which liberated people from the drudgery of sewing by hand.

Presents the history and evolution of papermaking, introducing the people and processes involved.

A history of the steam engine, emphasizing that many people contributed to its invention and that it forever changed man's life for the easier.

Discusses fabrics, the history of the textile industry, and the state of the industry today.

Traces the history of our attempts to keep things cool, from the early use of fans and ice to modern refrigeration and air conditioning.

Discusses the basic principles of the elevator, the relationship between the skyscraper and the elevator, how heavy weights were lifted in ancient times, and the computerized elevators with "brains".

Discusses the uses of dynamite and the industrial and technological progress that followed its invention in 1866 by chemical engineer Alfred Nobel.

Examines the electric bulb, an invention at first ridiculed, distrusted, and feared, which ultimately led to new uses of electricity and transformed society.

Examines the nature and many applications of one of the world's most versatile materials, describing its discovery and the various experiments and developments increasing its usefulness.