Inventions and discoveries have revolutionized science. Wherever we cast our eyes, every modern day product is a gift of the great inventors. Hence, various inventions have made man the master of land, air and water. But it is really very interesting to know that most of the inventions discoveries were not believed and accepted during their time. The followings are some descriptions about how many ideas and products, sited and invented by great minds were not believed and accepted.
In the 6th century BC Pythagoras, the great Greek mathematician said that earth is round. But only a few agreed with him. In the 3rd century BC Greek astronomer Aristarchos said that earth revolves around the sun. But no body accepted his idea. In the 2nd century BC Greek astronomer Erastosthenes accurately measured the distance around the earth at about 40,000 km, but his theory was not believed.
In the 2nd century AD Greek astronomer Ptolemy stated that earth was the center of the universe. A large number of people believed him for the next 1,400 years. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543), the great Renaissance astronomer was the first person to view that the Sun was at the center of the universe. His view displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. But no one believed his view.
Galileo (1564-1642), the great Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher played a major role in the scientific revolution. Galileo has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of science”, and “the Father of Modern Science”. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo’s championing of Copernicanism that the Sun at the centre of the universe, was controversial within his lifetime. When a large majority of philosophers and astronomers of his time subscribed to the view that the Earth was at the centre of the universe, Galileo placed the Sun at the centre of the universe. He met with bitter opposition from some philosophers. In 1616, the Catholic Church condemned his view considering that as false and Galileo was warned to abandon his support for it. When Galileo defended his views, he was forced to recant, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest.
In 1894, the Royal Society, London, the most advance research centre at that time predicted that radio had no future. But today, there are more than 1 billion radio sets in the world. It also predicted that heavier-than-air flying machines were impossible. But the Wright Brother’s first flight proved its view wrong. It also said that the X-rays will prove to be a joke. But today X-ray is widely used.
After the end of World War II in 1945, the factory and patents of German automaker Volkswagen was offered free to Henry Ford II of Ford Company. He dismissed the Volkswagen Beetle considering it as a bad design. Today, more than 70 million Beetle motorcars are produced every year. The Beetle became one of the best-selling vehicles of all time.
The telephone when invented by Alexander Graham Bell was not widely appreciated for the first 15 year. People did not see a use for it. The British parliament mentioned that there was no need for telephones. Western Union believed that the telephone could never replace the telegraph. Even Graham Bell invited famous American writer Mark Twain to invest $5 000 in his new invention, but Twain could not see a future in the telephone. But today it is the most common and widely used means of communication.
When railway engines were invented and trains started journey, Irish scientist, Dr. Dionysius Lardner opined that trains could not contribute much in speedy transport. But today, trains reach speeds of 500 km/h.
In 1943, Thomas Watson, the chairman of IBM forecast that the computers may have no world market. So the IBM did not lunch personal computer. In 1981, Xerox successfully designed and used PCs internally. But it followed the foot print of IBM and decided not lunch personal computers. The company concentrated on its production of photocopiers. But today personal computer is most common at home and work places.
The transistor was invented in 1947. But at that time several US electronics companies rejected the idea of a portable radio. In 1952, when Bell put the transistor on the market, only Sony, a small Japanese company of that time bought it. Sony introduced the transistor radio in 1954, and became the most prominent electronic manufacturing company of the world.