Every aspect of modern life has been  shaped by the ideas of ingenious inventors,  many of them tinkering away in small  workshops or even their garden sheds.  Packed with facts and figures, discover  the masterminds behind some of the  world's most incredible inventions.

In the ancient world, philosopher Archimedes  designed new machines for farming.

During  the Renaissance, artist Leonardo da Vinci  sketched his ideas for wondrous flying  machines. Scientist James Watt provided  ideas that would power the Industrial  Revolution, while American inventor  Thomas Edison patented more than 1000
inventions that would shape modern life,  including the movie camera and the  electric light bulb. Today's inventors still  explore ideas for new and clever technology,  producing miniature machines that we can  only see under a microscope. Step inside the  world of invention and see where it might  take us next...