NILS BOHLIN
Nils Bohlin was working for Volvo in 1958 when he came up with a revolutionary design that has saved millions of lives—the seat belt. Simple lap seat belts had been around for a long time, but the three-point safety belt was a major technological advancement with a simple design.
Bohlin received a patent for the design the next year.After some initial resistance from drivers who resented being told what to do, even for their own good, the three-point seat belt has become a standard feature in new cars around the world. There is no way of knowing exactly how many lives the seat belt has saved, but the number is estimated to be in the millions.Buckle up
PHILO FARNSWORTH
In 1927, Philo Farnsworth managed to transmit an image of a straight line through the air. By 1929, he had improved his design and managed to transmit a picture of his wife—much more exciting, even if the picture was a little blurry. Though he called it an “image dissector,” Philo had, in fact, just invented television.
So, why did John Logie Baird get the credit?
Well, Baird was one of the pioneers of television and also much more business-minded. He demonstrated the first color television in 1928.Philo turned down offers to buy out his patents and started his own business but couldn’t compete with the large companies that were getting in on the act, and his business folded. Philo remained an inventor until the end of his life in 1971 but never again invented anything as wonderful as TV.
HENRY DUNANT
Henry Dunant won the very first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.Passing through Solferino, Italy, during the Second Italian War of Independence, Dunant was appalled at the suffering that he saw. In 1862, he published a book, A Memory of Solferino, which described the efforts that were being made to care for the wounded at the scene.
He also proposed a plan.Dunant suggested the nations of the world should form their own relief societies to care for the wounded and train volunteers on the best ways to treat them. He also wanted the governments of the world to guarantee that wounded soldiers would be treated and that those treating them would be guaranteed safe passage.
Dunant traveled all over Europe promoting his plan, and on August 22, 1864, 12 nations signed the first Geneva Convention, agreeing to “guarantee neutrality to sanitary personnel, to expedite supplies for their use, and to adopt a special identifying emblem—in virtually all instances a red cross on a field of white.”Henry Dunant had helped to bring about the first Geneva Convention, which has saved the lives of thousands of soldiers around the world. He also founded the Red Cross.