Author(s): Helen Pilcher

History | Technology

Small inventions - modest yet essential, diminutive in size and humble in stature - are an essential component of every element of everyday life.

Fifty little objects of fascination, each concealing an unexpected history of innovation, are explored in Small Inventions That Made a Big Difference. From the ever-present (teabags) to the barely visible (ball bearings) and from the absolutely necessary (toilet paper) to the never-knew-you-needed-it (Post-its), science writer and comedian Helen Pilcher will guide you through the wonderful world of tiny examples of ingenuity.

Contents: Pigment - flint (firestarter) - sewing needle - fish-hook - gnomon - brick - stirrup - pencil - tin cans - postage stamp - ball bearings - mail order catalogue - paperclip - safety pin - safety match - spark plug - zip - credit card - Velcro - tampon - teabag - button - toilet paper - condom - deodorant - sliced bread - keys - Penicillin - Post-it notes - and more.

Author Biography: Helen Pilcher is a science writer, presenter and comedian. Her popular science books include Life Changing - How Humans are Altering Life on Earth, which was shortlisted for the 2020 Wainwright Writing Prize for Global Conservation. Her debut, Bring Back the King: the New Science of De-extinction, was BBC Radio 2 Fact not Fiction book of the week. It was described by comedian Sara Pascoe as 'science at its funniest.' Helen lives in Warwickshire, UK.