Top 5: World-Changing Inventions

We set Marissa Lippiatt from NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) Scotland the unenviable task of choosing her top five world-changing Scottish inventions. The hardest task was narrowing it down to just five…

"As I was thinking about this," says Marissa, "it occurred to me just how diverse the range of inventions and innovations emanating from Scotland has been over the centuries.

"I looked at Scottish innovations of the past and contrasted them with some of our more recent ones. As we move forward, I think Scotland is very well placed to continue to develop world-leading innovations, be they technological, social or developments within our public services."

The Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell

Both Bell's mother and wife were profoundly deaf, and it was while working on hearing devices that he made his incredible discovery. "It would be impossible not to acknowledge the importance of the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, which I think ultimately, must be one of the greatest of all world changing technologies to be developed by a Scotsman."

Penicillin – Alexander Fleming

"There can be no doubt about the global impact of the discovery of penicillin, the world's first antibiotic, thanks to Alexander Fleming." says Marissa.

Penicillin is something we take for granted, but it is almost impossible to imagine how different modern medicine would be without it. The accidental discovery of this natural fungus radically changed the treatment of almost all bacterial infections forever.

The Bicycle – Kirkpatrick MacMillan

"The pedal bicycle must surely rank as one of the top 5! Although he was not credited with patenting the idea, Kirkpatrick MacMillan invented and designed the very first pedal bike," says Marissa.

As we witness the incredible pace of disappearing fuel resources, could this be a key solution to our transport needs in the future?

Financial Services

"From developing the first bank overdraft (credited to the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1728) to the latest in contactless payment technology (you don't even need to get your card out to make a payment) it's clear that innovation in financial services industry is one of Scotland's key strengths and has indeed changed the world." 

Some credit the invention of the cash machine to a Scot named John Shepherd Barron in the sixties.

Genetic Cloning – Roslin Institute, Professor Wilmot

"Dolly the Sheep, the first successfully cloned mammal, was a spectacular innovation that put Scotland at the forefront of therapeutic cloning and led to improvements in the development of regenerative medicine," says Marissa.

While there remains a great deal of ethical debate surrounding genetic cloning there is no debate about the significance of this in the progression of science.

NESTA

Marissa Lippiatt is the Scotland and Northern Ireland Manager for NESTA. Chief Executive, Jonathan Kestenbaum outlines NESTA's aim – "The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts... is committed to stimulating and fostering innovation in the UK for both economic and social benefit." 

NESTA runs a competition for innovative start-up companies in Scotland called Starter for 6. Successful new ventures will receive business training, mentoring and grants. Find out more about Starter for 6.

Related Links

• NESTA
• The NESTA Big Green Challenge