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Inventors and Inventions

Progress in science and technology has an impact on our everyday lives. This topic covers Kiwi ingenuity, inventions, biographies of famous inventors, timelines, discoveries, patents, and awards for cutting edge research. SCIS no. 1808299

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Inventor, Frank Cresswell

Inventor, Frank Cresswell

This is a photograph of inventor Frank Cresswell from Petone. He created his own solar panels and wind turbines to produce electrical energy. His efforts to harness energy were successful because h...

Invercargill's inventors - roadside Stories

Invercargill's inventors - roadside Stories

Video about a hardware store associated with Ernest Hayes and Bert Munro.

Glenn Martin's jetpack

Watch this video of an indoor test-flight of the jetpack invented by New Zealander Glenn Martin. While still in the testing stage in 2009, the jetpack could be ordered for delivery in 2010.

Britten - backyard visionary

Britten - backyard visionary

Video about superbike inventor, John Britten.

Making a hīnaki

Making a hīnaki

Paratene Ngata (father of Āpirana Ngata), left, weaves a hīnaki (eel trap). At right is anthropologist Te Rangi Hīroa (Peter Buck), taking notes. Making and maintaining nets and traps for birds and...

Bill Hamilton

Image of Bill Hamilton, who developed the modern jet boat.

Ernest Robert Godward

Article about New Zealand inventor, Ernest Godward.

Richard Pearse's fantastic flying machine

Richard Pearse's fantastic flying machine

This design for an aircraft was created by aviation pioneer Richard Pearse (1877-1953). Pearse had built and experimented with aircraft for several years previously, and was reported to have achiev...

Early Māori invention – the kopa

Early Māori invention – the kopa

The kopa, also called a tāwiri, was an invention for squeezing the juice from tītoki berries. It was a flax bag in which the berries were placed, then pounded to release their juice. The kopa was s...

Soft kites

The scale of Peter Lynn’s creations is illustrated by this giant kite in the shape of a cat. In 1995 his MegaBite (an air-inflated soft kite in the shape of a giant trilobite) became the world’s la...

Archibald McIndoe

Biography of Archibald McIndoe.

Norma Doris McCulloch

Norma Doris McCulloch

Photograph of Norma McCulloch autographing her book ‘Deep Freezing.’

Murdoch tranquilliser gun

Murdoch tranquilliser gun

This stamp, from a 2007 New Zealand Post series called ‘Clever Kiwis’, shows the ingenious tranquilliser gun invented by a Timaru vet in the 1950s. Colin Murdoch’s invention, which can also be fire...

Alfred William Gallagher

Article about Bill Gallagher, known for his invention of the electric fence.

Anna Pavlova and her baked namesake

Anna Pavlova and her baked namesake

Anna Pavlova, the inspiration behind the New Zealand dessert ‘The Pavlova.’

Portrait of Bruce McLaren

Portrait of Bruce McLaren

Photograph of Bruce McLaren, inventor, race-car designer, driver and engineer.

Michael Faraday

Newspaper article about Michael Faraday from 1931.

Alexander Bell and the telephone

Alexander Bell and the telephone

Cartoon about Alexander Bell’s invention of the telephone.

Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford

"He is to the atom what Darwin is to evolution, Newton to mechanics, Faraday to electricity and Einstein to relativity." John Campbell

Biography of Elsa Kidson.

Biography of Truby King.

Paul Callaghan

Caricature of Paul Callaghan by Murray Webb.

Biography of John Britten

John Britten was one of the most versatile and creative designers New Zealand has seen.

Kiwi ingenuity on show

Kiwi ingenuity on show

Twelve innovative and cutting-edge research commercialisation projects have been chosen as finalists for KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Award.

Dog walker rescued by GPS app

Dog walker rescued by GPS app

A young woman has Kiwi software ingenuity to thank for her speedy rescue from deep inside a Waikato forest over the weekend.

The Edge - season two, episode seven (birth of Weta)

The Edge - season two, episode seven (birth of Weta)

This excerpt from arts show The Edge looks at the special effects being crafted for Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures. It's an intriguing insight into the early days of Weta, the effects house who...

40 Famous inventors

Contains 40 biographies of famous inventors.

Auckland bridge gets bungy

Auckland bridge gets bungy

Commercial bungy jumping began in 1988 after Kiwi entrepreneurs, A. J. Hackett and Henry van Asch developed their innovative idea (and rubber bungy cords) with the help of Auckland university scien...

Godfrey Bowen shearing a sheep

Godfrey Bowen shearing a sheep

Godfrey Bowen came from a family of shearers. He had been shearing since he left school. Shearing had been an ‘anything goes’ business since the 1880s – there were no standard techniques, and often...

Top 10 inventors of all time

Video about the top 10 Inventors of all time, including some of their most important inventions.

Award for New Zealand drug inventor

Distinguished Professor Bill Denny has been named the recipient of the American Chemical Society’s 2014 medicinal chemistry award.

Base isolators in the foundations of the Parliament Building

Base isolators in the foundations of the Parliament Building

New Zealanders are very aware of the devastation that can happen when there is a big earthquake in an urban area. In the 1970s, Dr Bill Robinson found a way of preventing or reducing earthquake dam...

Inventor archive

An extensive list of international inventors.

Amazing inventions

Contains information about a number of inventors and inventions.

The Wright brothers and the airplane

Animation about the famous Wright Brothers.

From Richard Pearse to PJ, Kiwi ingenuity is a quality dear to our national sense of self.

Inventions that changed our world lesson plans

Contains mini lesson plans and useful links about inventions that changed the world.

Nine inventions by talented New Zealanders

Here are nine inventions by talented Kiwis who enjoyed thinking outside the box.

Famous inventors and their inventions

A gallery of items related to Inventors and Inventions.

The world’s softest shoes

Shoes made out of merino wool from New Zealand sheep.

Inventions and discoveries guide

A guide to inventions and discoveries from adrenaline to the zipper.

A gallery of items related to Samuel Morse.

Invention – making the world a better place

Contains hands-on challenges designed to spark the inventive spirit of kids aged 9–12.

Inventors and inventions

A gallery of items related to inventors and inventions.

Private A J and Benghazi Burner

Private A J and Benghazi Burner

The Benghazi Burner was the name WWII soldiers gave to the Thermette. It was invented in 1929 by New Zealander John Ashley Hart. Mr Hart patented his invention and named it Thermette in 1931. This ...

Indoor surfing mechanical surfboard

Indoor surfing mechanical surfboard

Caption: Inventor Peter Konrad (on his mechanical surfboard) and his manager Mark Burton-Brown are travelling around hotels in Wellington area running heats for the Wellington Indoor Surfing Champi...

Jetpack flight offered on Trademe

Jetpack flight offered on Trademe

The concept of the Martin Jetpack was developed by Glenn Martin in 1981. However, as good things take time, it was 24 years before a prototype was made. This invention starred with James Bond in th...

Kiwi inventions

Kiwi inventions

Kiwi inventions discussed by Auckland Museum Curator - Richard Wolfe.

Te Ara : Inventions, patents and trademarks

History of New Zealand inventions. Also includes brief information on patents.

Eureka! inventors and inventions

Includes links to information and interactive activities for New Zealand children.

Let’s get inventing

This madcap, Qantas award-winning TV2 children's show gives young inventors the opportunity to realise their ideas.

10 Amazing inventions by women

This video contains a list of ten of the greatest things invented by women.

Biography of Henry Ford.

Timeline of Thomas Edison

Contains a timeline of Thomas Edison’s busy life.

Spreadable butter

New Zealand was the first off the mark with butter that is spreadable out of the fridge.

Inventions lesson plan

An ESOL Science and English unit on inventions intended for years 7-9, level 4.

Contains a collection of articles and videos about a number of famous inventors and inventions.

A History of the world in 100 objects

A 100 part series by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, exploring world history from two million years ago to the present.

Article on Colin Murdoch, inventor of the disposable syringe and tranquiliser gun.

New Zealand Jazz Apples are famous for their tangy sweet taste and epic crunch.

Inventors and inventions

Lists of inventors, their inventions and the date, organised by topic.

Topdressing at Ihumatao

Topdressing at Ihumatao

New Zealand farmer John Lambert was well ahead of his times in 1926 when he came up with the idea of spreading fertiliser on farmland by plane. It was more than another ten years before an aircraft...

Jet boat on the Whanganui

Jet boat on the Whanganui

Bill Hamilton was a curious and adventurous small boy who never grew out of his love of speed and inventing. Best known for the Hamilton jet boat, he had also designed and built his own hydroelectr...

Everything you need to know about Galileo. Suitable for Intermediate and Secondary students.

Inventors and inventions quiz

Quiz on inventors and inventions.

Kiwi innovation

This site looks at a range of fascinating New Zealand inventions.

This website includes facts about a number of scientists.

Richard Pearse

History tells us that the Wright brothers were the first to invent the aeroplane in December 1903 however, it might have been Richard Pearse who built and flew the world’s first powered aeroplane. ...

Kite buggy

Craig Bush is being pulled by a kite off a kite buggy. Peter Lynn invented the modern version of the kite buggy in 1990. It consists of a light vehicle powered by a kite. The vehicle which can seat...

Ski planes on Tasman glacier

Ski planes on Tasman glacier

Alpine pilot Harry Wigley wanted to find a way to let visitors experience the fantastic scenery of the Southern Alps. It wasn’t enough just to fly them over the glaciers and vast snowfields – he wa...

Many Answers

Many Answers has reviewed links to websites and databases on inventors inventions.

New Zealand's strengths in biotechnology

Representatives from the biotechnology sector on why New Zealand have such a good reputation for producing world-leading science.

Invention or innovation?

Activity for students to distinguish between invention or innovation and support and discus their views.