Which ancient Greek thinker is said to have shouted 'Eureka!' in his bath?
AnswerArchimedes
Legend says Archimedes cried 'Eureka' ('I have found it') when he realised how to measure volume by displacement.
Challenge · Facts & stats
Ideas facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about ideas, creativity and invention, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
What does a patent give an inventor?
AnswerExclusive rights to their invention for a limited time
A patent lets the inventor stop others making or selling the invention for a set period in exchange for public disclosure.
Going deeper
Which antibiotic was discovered in 1928 after mould contaminated a bacteria culture?
AnswerPenicillin
Alexander Fleming noticed that Penicillium mould killed bacteria around it on a culture plate.
The microwave oven was invented after an engineer working near radar equipment noticed what had melted?
AnswerA candy bar in his pocket
Engineer Percy Spencer noticed a melted candy bar while working near a radar magnetron in the 1940s.
What key innovation did Johannes Gutenberg's printing press bring to Europe?
AnswerMovable metal type
Gutenberg's reusable metal letters, arranged and rearranged, made printing books far faster around 1450.
Expert level
Which advertising executive popularised the term 'brainstorming'?
AnswerAlex Osborn
Alex Osborn described brainstorming for group idea generation in books in the 1940s and 1950s.
Which English writer coined the word 'serendipity' in 1754?
AnswerHorace Walpole
Horace Walpole based 'serendipity' on a tale of three princes of Serendip who kept making lucky discoveries.
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