Inventions
Sporting Witness. Why I designed the prosthetic running leg. Audio, 10 minutes
In 1984, Van Phillips invented the first carbon graphite running leg.
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Lab Rats. Audio, 28 minutes
The Lab Rats recreate one of science's greatest experiments.
- AttributionBBC Radio 4
- Available for 7 days
Witness History. The invention of GPS. Audio, 9 minutes
The Global Positioning System, also known as GPS, was created in the late 1970s
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Witness History. The invention of the shopping trolley. Audio, 9 minutes
In 1937, American supermarket owner Sylvan Goldman wanted his customers to spend more.
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
- Attribution
- Posted9 January
Witness History. The invention of the hotel key card. Audio, 9 minutes
In the 1970s, Norwegian Tor Sornes invented the hotel key card
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Witness History. Creating Alexa. Audio, 9 minutes
In 2000, two Polish students started creating a smart speaker which sounded human
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
The Bottom Line. The Decisions That Made Me, Decisions That Made Me: Tom Pellereau (Stylideas, Inventor) Audio, 17 minutes
The beauty inventor on being dyslexic and working with Alan Sugar.
- AttributionBBC Radio 4
- Available for over a year
Witness History. The invention of the ‘Baby’ computer. Audio, 9 minutes
In 1948, the first stored-program computer the ‘Baby’ was invented
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
- Attribution
- Posted15 October 2024
- Attribution
- Posted12 October 2024
Witness History. How the QR code was invented. Audio, 9 minutes
In 1994 Japanese engineer Masahiro Hara designed a square of data, now known as a QR code
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Witness History. WABOT-1: The first humanoid robot. Audio, 9 minutes
Scientists at Waseda University in Japan built the world's first humanoid robot in 1973
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Witness History. Eliza: When chatbots started. Audio, 9 minutes
1966 saw the invention of Eliza, which is said to be the first chatbot
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Profile. Eben Upton. Audio, 14 minutes
The man who thought up the tiny Raspberry Pi computer.
- AttributionBBC Radio 4
- Available for over a year
Witness History. The invention of the CT scanner. Audio, 9 minutes
In 1971, the CT scanner was invented by Allan Cormack and Godfrey Hounsfield
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
Sporting Witness. The invention of Padel. Audio, 9 minutes
In 1969, Enrique and Viviana Corcuera created Padel while on holiday
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
- Attribution
- Posted3 September 2024
Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford. Fritterin’ Away Genius. Audio, 37 minutes
Are restlessness and "fritterin'" important parts of a rich and creative life?
- AttributionBBC Sounds
- Available for over a year
- Attribution
- Posted22 August 2024
- Attribution
- Posted22 August 2024
Witness History. How the air fryer was invented. Audio, 9 minutes
In 2006, Dutch inventor Fred van der Weij cooked up an idea for a new kitchen device
- AttributionBBC World Service
- Available for over a year
- Attribution
- Posted27 June 2024
