There have been so many inventions in the world globally that have left a huge impact on our lives today. From man rubbing two stones together to create fire in the stone age to sending heavy machines into international space, the evolution of the human race has always depended on new inventions.
While many received fame and money for their contribution to development many inventors refused to take credit, let alone monetary gains, from the inventions they made. The is long but here are some of the names for your reference.
John Walker – Invented the first friction match
In 1826, John Walker, a chemist in Stockton on Tees, discovered through a lucky accident that a stick coated with chemicals burst into flame when scraped across his hearth at home. He went on to invent the first friction match but never took credit for it.
Laszlo Biro – Invented Ball Point Pen
The Hungarian-Argentine inventor who patented the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen, Lazlo Biro, did not make any money from his invention. The first ballpoint pen had been invented roughly 50 years earlier by John J. Loud, but it did not attain commercial success
Jonas Salk – Invented Polio Vaccine
On April 12, 1955, the day the Salk vaccine was declared “safe, effective and potent,” legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Morrow interviewed Jonas Salk and asked who owned the patent. Salk responded that ‘the people did’ and further added “There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?”
Nick Holonyak Jr – Invented The LED Bulb
Nick Holonyak Jr. is an American engineer and educator. He is noted particularly for his 1962 invention of a light-emitting diode that emitted visible red light instead of infrared light; Holonyak demonstrated the LED on October 9, 1962, while working at General Electric’s research laboratory in Syracuse, New York. Though his invention has benefitted many lives, he never took credit for it.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee – Invented World Wide Web (www)
Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee is a computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web. He is a Professorial Fellow of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He never patented the invention.
Ron Klein – Invented Magnetic Strip for Credit Cards
Ron Klein is the inventor of the Magnetic Strip on the Credit Card, Credit Card Validity Checking System, and the developer of computerized systems for Real Estate (MLS) Multiple Listing Services, Voice Response for the Banking Industry and BOND Quotation and Trade Information for the New York Stock Exchange.
Harvey Ball – Invented Smiley Emoticon
Harvey Ball is recognized as the designer of a popular smiley graphic picture, which is a notable international icon. He never applied for a trademark for the iconic smiley image and only earned $45 for his efforts.
