Tag: inventions

Forgotten Inventions by Indian sages

Many modern-day scientists see themselves as the first to create all the technological advancements we use today. Yet many of the so-called discoveries are nothing more than re-inventions created by examining the knowledge of the ancients. Many things related to science and invention have their origins in the thoughts and imagination of the sages of Ancient India. Indian culture has evolved over the ages by India’s ancient Rishis, who at the banks of its holy rivers had ‘discovered’ the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term ‘Rishi’ originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the Rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).Some lost works of science by Indian sages are-

Acharya Sushruta – Father of Surgery

Acharya Sushruta was a great Indian Physician and was known to be as the Father of Surgery or Father of Plastic Surgery. The Sushruta Samhita is one of the most important survived ancient texts on medicine and it is considered a foundational text of Ayurveda. He was the world’s first surgeon who performed complicated surgeries 2600 years ago.The Sushruta Samhita has 184 chapters containing descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparation based on animal sources. It describes thoroughly the surgical techniques of making incisions, extractions of foreign body or particles, how to probe, excisions, tooth extraction, how to remove prostate gland, dilation of Urethral stricture, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, how to do C-section (Caesarian for baby delivery), laparotomy, management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principle of fracture management. He also classified the eye diseases including cataract surgery.It is interesting to note that when surgery was not even heard and performed by the other parts of the world, here Sushruta was performing Rhinoplasty and many other challenging operations.

Panini – Father of Linguistics

Panini was an ancient Sanskrit philologist, grammarian and a received scholar in ancient India. He is considered as First Descriptive Linguist and is known as the Father of Linguistics. He is well known for his text Astadhyayi, a Sutra on Sanskrit grammar. He analyzed the noun compounds which is still been followed in the theories of the Indian language. Panini’s comprehensive and scientific theory on grammar is conventionally taken to mark the start of Classical Sanskrit.The Astadhyayi is the oldest linguistic and grammar text of any language and of Sanskrit surviving in its entity. His rules have a reputation for perfection – he described the Sanskrit morphology completely. Panini made use of technical metalanguage consisting of syntax, morphology and Lexicon. This metalanguage is organized according to a series of Meta – rules, some of which are explicitly stated while others can be deduced.The Astadhyayi consists of 3,959 sutras in eight chapters. This text attracted many of the ancient authors to upgrade their text in terms of Language.

Acharya Nagarjuna – Master of Chemical Science

Nagarjuna was a great Indian metallurgist and alchemistHe did his research for around 12 years in the field of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like “Ras Ratnakar”, “Rashrudaya” and “Rasebdramangal” are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. He also discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. He did his experiments especially on mercury. He distinguished between the metals and the sub metals and also between solvents and soluble. He stated that Mercury could dissolve all metals. He also invented the processes of “Distillation” and “Calcinations”. He was the first person in the planet to use a Mercury as medicine. He found five types of mercury: red and grey were good; yellow, white or multi colored had so much of bad qualities and this should use as a medicine after several treatments.Alchemist or today what we called as Chemist was the Gifts for Nagarjuna. He made several discoveries which was the path to the other discovers to lead in this field.

Baudhayana – Discovered Pythagoras Theorem

Baudhayana was a great Mathematician, who was also called a priest. He is the author of the Sulba Sutra which contained several important mathematical results. He discovered the several concepts in mathematics which was later rediscovered by the other scientist in the western world. The value of the pie was discovered by him. Today all know how to use the pie and where to use (calculating the area and the circumference of a circle). He also discovered Pythagoras Theorem in Sulba Sutra. He provided how to find a circle whose area is the same as that of a square. The other theorems includes the diagonals of rectangle bisect with each other, diagonals of rhombus bisect at right angles, area of square formed by joining the mid points of a square is half of original.The mathematics given in the Sulba Sutras is there to enable the accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It is clear from the writing that Baudhayana must have been a skilled craftsman. He was a great Practitioner.

Acharya Aryabhata – Motions of the Solar System

Acharya Aryabhata was the first mathematician astronomer from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy and is not an unknown name. His major work on Aryabhatiya was very successful. It is extensively referred in the Indian mathematical literature and has been survived to modern times.

Acharya Aryabhata correctly stated that the earth rotates about its axis dailyr. He also stated that the motion of the stars are being observed just because the earth is rotating. He was also succeeded in explaining the geocentric model of the Solar System. The positions and periods of the planet was calculated relative to uniformly moving points. He stated that the Mercury and Venus move around the earth at the same speed as of the sun. He was also succeeded in explaining eclipses in terms of shadows cast by and falling on earth. He also mentioned Units of Time or the Sidereal rotation that earth takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 second to complete one revolution and the sidereal year has 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds which in turn adds an extra one day every after four years which is called a leap year.Calendric calculation which was devised by him is still being used in India for Practical purposes for fixing the Hindu calendar. India’s first satellite Aryabhata and the lunar crater Aryabhata are both named in his honor.

Maharishi Bharadwaj –Invention of the First Airplane of Earth

In 1875, the Vymaanika Shaastra, a 4th Century BC text written by Sage Bharadwaj was discovered in a temple in India. The book greatly deals with the operation of ancient vimanas and included information on steering, precautions for long flights, protection of the airships from storms and lightning and how to switch the drive of solar energy or some other form of energy.

One of the chapter will reveal the secrets of constructing aeroplanes that cannot be broken or cut, that is indestructible, that is fire resistant. It also deals with the secret of making planes motionless and invisible. It also describes how to defeat the enemy planes etc. as per the Sage Bharadwaj the vimanas were classifies as per the Yugas. During the period of Krita Yuga, Dharma was establishes firmly. The pushpak Vimana which was used by Ravan was an Aerial vehicle. He used this vehicle to kidnap Sita from jungle and took him to his Kingdom Srilanka. Ramayana was during the Treta Yug in which the Vimanas were highly discovered. During this period “Laghima” gave them the power to lighten their vehicle do they can travel freely in the air.In present Kaliyuga both Mantra and Tantra Shakti are almost vanished from the earth and so the ability to control vehicle has also been gone. Today the artificial vehicles are built which is called as Kritaka Vimanas.

https://pravase.co.in/gyan-detail/86/indian-sages-scientist-invention-in-science-medicine

Forgotten Inventions by Indian sages

Many modern-day scientists see themselves as the first to create all the technological advancements we use today. Yet many of the so-called discoveries are nothing more than re-inventions created by examining the knowledge of the ancients. Many things related to science and invention have their origins in the thoughts and imagination of the sages of Ancient India. Indian culture has evolved over the ages by India’s ancient Rishis, who at the banks of its holy rivers had ‘discovered’ the Vedic literature – the very foundation of Indian civilization. The term ‘Rishi’ originally denoted the composers and singers of Vedic hymns. However, the Rishi is also a ‘sage’ to whom the Gods revealed the Vedas (knowledge of the eternal truths about the Creator, His creation and means to preserve it).Some lost works of science by Indian sages are-

Acharya Sushruta – Father of Surgery

Acharya Sushruta was a great Indian Physician and was known to be as the Father of Surgery or Father of Plastic Surgery. The Sushruta Samhita is one of the most important survived ancient texts on medicine and it is considered a foundational text of Ayurveda. He was the world’s first surgeon who performed complicated surgeries 2600 years ago.The Sushruta Samhita has 184 chapters containing descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparation based on animal sources. It describes thoroughly the surgical techniques of making incisions, extractions of foreign body or particles, how to probe, excisions, tooth extraction, how to remove prostate gland, dilation of Urethral stricture, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, how to do C-section (Caesarian for baby delivery), laparotomy, management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principle of fracture management. He also classified the eye diseases including cataract surgery.It is interesting to note that when surgery was not even heard and performed by the other parts of the world, here Sushruta was performing Rhinoplasty and many other challenging operations.

Panini – Father of Linguistics

Panini was an ancient Sanskrit philologist, grammarian and a received scholar in ancient India. He is considered as First Descriptive Linguist and is known as the Father of Linguistics. He is well known for his text Astadhyayi, a Sutra on Sanskrit grammar. He analyzed the noun compounds which is still been followed in the theories of the Indian language. Panini’s comprehensive and scientific theory on grammar is conventionally taken to mark the start of Classical Sanskrit.The Astadhyayi is the oldest linguistic and grammar text of any language and of Sanskrit surviving in its entity. His rules have a reputation for perfection – he described the Sanskrit morphology completely. Panini made use of technical metalanguage consisting of syntax, morphology and Lexicon. This metalanguage is organized according to a series of Meta – rules, some of which are explicitly stated while others can be deduced.The Astadhyayi consists of 3,959 sutras in eight chapters. This text attracted many of the ancient authors to upgrade their text in terms of Language.

Acharya Nagarjuna – Master of Chemical Science

Nagarjuna was a great Indian metallurgist and alchemistHe did his research for around 12 years in the field of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like “Ras Ratnakar”, “Rashrudaya” and “Rasebdramangal” are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. He also discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. He did his experiments especially on mercury. He distinguished between the metals and the sub metals and also between solvents and soluble. He stated that Mercury could dissolve all metals. He also invented the processes of “Distillation” and “Calcinations”. He was the first person in the planet to use a Mercury as medicine. He found five types of mercury: red and grey were good; yellow, white or multi colored had so much of bad qualities and this should use as a medicine after several treatments.Alchemist or today what we called as Chemist was the Gifts for Nagarjuna. He made several discoveries which was the path to the other discovers to lead in this field.

Baudhayana – Discovered Pythagoras Theorem

Baudhayana was a great Mathematician, who was also called a priest. He is the author of the Sulba Sutra which contained several important mathematical results. He discovered the several concepts in mathematics which was later rediscovered by the other scientist in the western world. The value of the pie was discovered by him. Today all know how to use the pie and where to use (calculating the area and the circumference of a circle). He also discovered Pythagoras Theorem in Sulba Sutra. He provided how to find a circle whose area is the same as that of a square. The other theorems includes the diagonals of rectangle bisect with each other, diagonals of rhombus bisect at right angles, area of square formed by joining the mid points of a square is half of original.The mathematics given in the Sulba Sutras is there to enable the accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It is clear from the writing that Baudhayana must have been a skilled craftsman. He was a great Practitioner.

Acharya Aryabhata – Motions of the Solar System

Acharya Aryabhata was the first mathematician astronomer from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy and is not an unknown name. His major work on Aryabhatiya was very successful. It is extensively referred in the Indian mathematical literature and has been survived to modern times.

Acharya Aryabhata correctly stated that the earth rotates about its axis dailyr. He also stated that the motion of the stars are being observed just because the earth is rotating. He was also succeeded in explaining the geocentric model of the Solar System. The positions and periods of the planet was calculated relative to uniformly moving points. He stated that the Mercury and Venus move around the earth at the same speed as of the sun. He was also succeeded in explaining eclipses in terms of shadows cast by and falling on earth. He also mentioned Units of Time or the Sidereal rotation that earth takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 second to complete one revolution and the sidereal year has 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds which in turn adds an extra one day every after four years which is called a leap year.Calendric calculation which was devised by him is still being used in India for Practical purposes for fixing the Hindu calendar. India’s first satellite Aryabhata and the lunar crater Aryabhata are both named in his honor.

Maharishi Bharadwaj –Invention of the First Airplane of Earth

In 1875, the Vymaanika Shaastra, a 4th Century BC text written by Sage Bharadwaj was discovered in a temple in India. The book greatly deals with the operation of ancient vimanas and included information on steering, precautions for long flights, protection of the airships from storms and lightning and how to switch the drive of solar energy or some other form of energy.

One of the chapter will reveal the secrets of constructing aeroplanes that cannot be broken or cut, that is indestructible, that is fire resistant. It also deals with the secret of making planes motionless and invisible. It also describes how to defeat the enemy planes etc. as per the Sage Bharadwaj the vimanas were classifies as per the Yugas. During the period of Krita Yuga, Dharma was establishes firmly. The pushpak Vimana which was used by Ravan was an Aerial vehicle. He used this vehicle to kidnap Sita from jungle and took him to his Kingdom Srilanka. Ramayana was during the Treta Yug in which the Vimanas were highly discovered. During this period “Laghima” gave them the power to lighten their vehicle do they can travel freely in the air.In present Kaliyuga both Mantra and Tantra Shakti are almost vanished from the earth and so the ability to control vehicle has also been gone. Today the artificial vehicles are built which is called as Kritaka Vimanas.

https://pravase.co.in/gyan-detail/86/indian-sages-scientist-invention-in-science-medicine

Important inventions that changed our world.

 

This is an image of important inventions that changed our world.

The only thing constant in this ever-changing world is change. This ‘change’ has cultivated some interesting inventions that shaped our world and made our lives easier. So much easier that today we cannot imagine our lives without them. These innovations further evolve and develop to create new possibilities in the future. From the modeling of a wheel to designing a medium that travels beyond the earth, here are some of the important inventions that changed our world. 

So be ready to be amazed!

1.Compass

This is an image of compass

The earliest form of compasses were likely to be invented by the Chinese in 200 BC for religious purposes. It was started being used for navigational purposes by the 11th century. Over the years this invention saw several developments and modifications and it currently resides in our smartphones. 

2. Automobiles

This is an image of automobiles.

This is an invention that eventually went on to take the load off the horses and put them on the wheels! It all began from Nicholas Joseph Cugno who designed an automobile powered by steam that was suitable for human transportation. The evolution of the automobiles witnessed the contribution of different engineers and scientists. It became mainstream due to Henry Ford’s mass production techniques. Other popular manufacturers such as General Motors and Chrysler also contributed to the mass production of automobiles. 

3. Steam Engine

This is an image of a steam engine.

Trains have been a popular, reliable, and affordable choice of transport for many years, the origin of the same can be traced back to 1698, when Thomas Savory invented the steam engine to withdraw water from the congested mines by using pressure from the steam. After some modifications by forthcoming engineers, this steam engine was being used to power trains. 

Although not in use today, it is an important milestone in the development of today’s modern transport system. 

4. Airplanes

This is an image of airplane.

Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches of flying machines and countless other inventions over the centuries led to the first successfully controlled flight by the well-known Wright brothers. Their achievement laid the foundation for development and commercialisation in the field of aeronautical engineering which is prevalent today. 

5. Light bulb

This is an image of a Light bulb

There is more to the history of a lightbulb than the ever famous Thomas A Edison. Humphry Davy pioneered the functional electric bulb during the early 19th century. Wilson Swan made modifications to the conventional electric lightbulb and increased it’s span of use. 

Thomas A Edison can be credited for the commercialisation of the lightbulbs as he further increased it’s illumination span by 1200 hours. He went on to produce and sell these lightbulbs under his company named Edison Electric Light Company. 

6. Printing Press

This is an image of a printing press

The establishment of the Printing Press in 1436 by Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith, helped spread knowledge and information among the public. Although the origins of the printing press can be traced back to the Chinese and Koreans’ printing methods, HIs printing machine was a development over the pre-existing printing modes and had been first introduced to the west. Gutenberg’s press went on to produce upto 20 million materials in the following years which consisted of books, individual papers, and pamphlets. 

We hope that you too would marvel at these inventions that has shaped our present. 

Patent Pooling during COVID-19

The International Science Collaborations on COVID-19 has a new discussion on the table. The idea of patent pooling.

Costa Rica, one of the countries in the meeting suggested the inkling of pooling the rights to deal with the current pandemic through minimal or at times free, preferably affordable licensing to ensure that the outcomes of efforts by various countries which can be used by one another and especially by those countries which have limited economic resources to deal with this problem. This proposal had received full support from all the other countries except from the UK and the US.

Patent Pooling, according to World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), is defined as an agreement made between two or more patent holders. The agreement licenses the patents to one another or any third party. The main idea is to share the intellectual property rights and also to have a hand in the product.

Generally, patents pooling is done with the objective for necessitating the complex technologies as complementary patents. It is believed to provide productive technical solutions. Such an idea was seen in work in regard to the vaccines which were produced in the present COVID-19 crisis.

The ‘Sewing Machine Combination” made in the year 1856 is recognised to be as the first modern patent pool done in the US.

Patent pooling structures were actively debated and implemented during the SARS outbreak of 2002-03. The same process was also seen during the H5N1 influenza outbreak of 2005, followed by the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.

Patent pooling ensures innovation between companies by minimizing the potential legal issues which arise due to the use of protected concepts of the other. It lowers the transaction costs and allows better process efficiencies as businesses that hold these complementary patents. Such a pooling by effectively agreeing not to sue each other for infringement can result in better and new products in the marketplace.

The International steps towards patent pooling that were taken are the C-TAP, GISAID, MIPP, TRIPS and CBD.

The COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) which is hosted by WHO accumulates all the pledges of commitments made under the Solidarity Call to Action. It is done in order to voluntarily share COVID-19 health technology related data, knowledge and intellectual property.

Global Initiative to Sharing of All Influenza Data (GISAID) promotes the data of rapid sharing of the virus as seen in the case of all influenza viruses and the coronavirus capable of causing COVID19. This also includes genetic sequences data, related clinical data and also the epidemiological data which might be associated with human viruses to be endorsed in public. The geographical and species-specific data is noted. According to this data, in the recent times, around 49,781 genome sequences of the COVID virus have been shared and they have been shared voluntarily by the researchers from all over the world.

Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) has simplified the development of generic drugs. For tuberculosis, HIV and Hepatitis C by allowing them to be sold at an affordable price. MPP is a UN backed public health organisation. It works to increase the access of the drugs and also in the facilitation of development of these life-saving medicines especially for the low- and middle-income countries.

Trade Related Intellectual Property Regime (TRIPS) consents the countries to grant compulsory licences to the selected companies which would work to produce a patented product at the times of such emergencies.

Nagoya Protocol under Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) frames Article 2(e) in the protocol which includes the genetic sequence information. These information forms the basis of all ongoing researches and developments that take place for the COVID-19 treatment and prevention. The Protocol specifically requires the contracting parties to provide the options for access and benefit sharing when the resources could be used for commercial purposes. It indirectly provides the scope for patent pooling.

The concept of ‘patent pooling’ is practically new in India. It primarily focuses to have solutions for the affordable health care.

Indian Patents Act (IPA), 1970 does not either render for any provisions related to formation of such patent pools or provide any guidelines for the same. But at the same time, it neither restrains to create nor denies for the formation of patent pools.

Under this Act, the Central Government on its motion can set up a patent pool by acquiring the patents and inventions required in the public interest. Such an exception only exists in the hands of the authorities and thus, the pooling is particularly viewed as a restrictive practice by Competition Act, 2002 and is claimed to be anti-competitive in nature.

12 Great Inventions you didn’t know were made in INDIA

Indian inventions and discoveries have been instrumental in shaping the face of the current modern world. I have picked 12 such interesting findings out of a whole bunch that will make you go, “I didn’t know that”.

Shampoo

12 Best Drugstore Shampoos 2020 Under $10

The word ‘Shampoo’ is derived from chāmpo (चाँपो). It was initially used as a head massage oil for the Nawabs of Bengal during the Mughal Empire around 1762. It evolved into shampoo over the years. Yes, you have India to thank for shampoo.

Buttons

Microsoft Store on Twitter: "Did you know Count Your Buttons Day ...

Buttons were first used in Mohenjo-daro for ornamental purpose rather than for fastening. They were first used in the Indus Valley Civilization by 2000 BCE.

The Chess Game

1st FIDE World Corporate Championship

Chess developed out of Chaturanga, which is an ancient strategy board game developed during the Gupta Empire in India around the 6th century AD. Now you know why Vishwanathan Anand is such a pro. It is simply in our roots.

Ruler / Scale

11 Online Rulers To Use When You Can't Find A Physical One

Rulers were first used by the Indus Valley Civilization prior to 1500 BCE. Made of ivory, the rulers found during excavation, reveal the amazing accuracy of decimal subdivisions on it.

Radio / Wire-less Communication

Why India has only 179 community radio stations instead of the ...

We all know that Marconi received a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909 for contribution to the development of wireless telegraphy. But the first public demonstration of radio waves for communication was made by Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose in 1895, two years prior to Marconi’s similar demonstration in England.

Sir Bose was posthumously credited (more than a century later) for his achievement. The fact remains that this discovery truly shaped the face of modern wireless communication.

Ink

Pin on Writing

Many ancient cultures and civilizations independently discovered and prepared ink for writing purposes. The source of carbon pigment used in Indian Ink (called musi) used in ancient India, was India. Since 4th century BC, the practice of writing with ink with a sharp pointed needle was common in South India.

Flush in Toilets

Why Toddlers Go Potty at Day Care but Not at Home

Flush toilets were first used in the Indus Valley Civilization. These existed in most homes and were connected to a sophisticated sewage mechanism. The civilization was prominent in hydraulic engineering.

Diamond Mining

Diamonds

Worldwide, India was the only source of diamonds until the discovery of mines in Brazil in the 18th century. Almost 5000 years ago, diamonds were first recognized and mined in central India.

Cotton – so basically we clothed the World!

Cotton-Ancient and Modern Fiber | Memory Foam Mattress

The ancient Greeks used to wear animal skins and were not even aware of cotton. But Indians were sort of cool and started cultivating cotton during the 5th – 4th millennium BCE in the Indus Valley Civilization. The word spread to the Mediterranean and beyond and soon everyone was ordering one from Flipkart. Well, pretty much.

Steel and Metal Works

How to build a working iron man suit! - YouTube

Ancient Indians were pioneers in metallurgy. High quality steel was produced, almost two thousand years before it was understood by the West. One of the most remarkable feat in metallurgy: creating a seamless celestial globe, was invented in Kashmir. It was earlier considered impossible to create a metal globe without seams.

So thanks to India, Iron Man can wear his suit now.

Plastic Surgery & Cataract Surgery

Geetika Swami on Twitter: "Sushruta,father of Plastic surgery ...

Yes, you heard it right. Indians were pioneers in Plastic Surgery and Cataract surgery, too. It was carried out in India as early as 2000 BCE by Rishi Sushruta also known as the father of surgery.

Snakes & Ladders

Snakes & Ladders ! - YouTube

The game, Snakes & Ladders,  was invented in India as a game of morals. Later it spread to England and eventually introduced in the USA by game pioneer Milton Bradley in 1943.

Being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, complete with a rich history and culture as well as a strong and long scientific and technological tradition, it comes as no surprise that many significant inventions have come out of INDIA.