• Question: what was your favourite invention

    Asked by zeter :) to Alan, Becky, Jo, Sankar, Sarah on 6 Mar 2015. This question was also asked by Alex and Antonia, Nick.
    • Photo: Sankar Meenakshisundaram

      Sankar Meenakshisundaram answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      I recently invented a catalyst that could convert a compound (obtained from forest biomass waste) to a fuel component. A patent has been submitted on this. 🙂 This is a renewable way of preparing fuels and it is an alternative method to making fuels from crude oil.

    • Photo: Alan McCue

      Alan McCue answered on 7 Mar 2015:

      Interesting – I am going to assume you mean my favorite thing that has been invented as opposed to something I have invented? In that case I think the most amazing thing invented recently was the internet – life was very different before you could do online and look stuff up. I think over the next 10-20 years life won’t work without the internet it has become so important!

    • Photo: Sarah Kirk

      Sarah Kirk answered on 9 Mar 2015:

      There are so many things that have been invented that are so important for modern life. I’m going to choose something a bit quirkier, something that I find interesting from a chemistry point of view, rather than something I use a lot.

      Kevlar is a very interesting material in my opinion. Invented by Stephanie Kwolek in 1964, it was a totally new type of polymer at the time, with very interesting properties. It’s extremely strong, so strong that it can be used for bullet-proof vests!

    • Photo: Becky Gregory

      Becky Gregory answered on 9 Mar 2015:

      I think computers have been a very important invention for us, as they have allowed many different areas of life and technology to develop to make our lives easier.

    • Photo: Jo Sadler

      Jo Sadler answered on 9 Mar 2015:

      Radio
      It’s helped win wars, kept me company for hours on end in the lab, it’s a hugely powerful way to reach a lot of people. A lot of people were involved in inventing it, and it represents a big step forward in science as it proved the a new theory in physics was right – and what a massive effect it had..

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