From Mary Mulvihill:
Did you know that the Irish invented Shamrock, put a man on the moon, changed the face of modern warfare and electrified the world?
What Ireland has done for the world, is the topic for the Big Ideas discussion, as part of the St Patrick’s festival (tonight).
William Rowan Hamilton's quaternions helped to put a man on the moon
Amidst a panel of writers, musicians, politicians and commentators, I’ll be pushing the case for Ireland’s inventors and scientists, and the many ideas and discoveries they have given the world, from military to medical and everything in between, including flavoured crisps and cream liqueurs, which went on to become international industries.
Here, from among the many hundreds of Irish inventions and innovations down the centuries, are a few key ones.
1. We put a man on the moon! (And satellites into space)
The Apollo missions could not have happened without a type of algebra invented in 1843 by William Rowan Hamilton. Engineers use Hamilton’s ‘quaternions’ to calculate an object’s position in space and time. And on the Apollo missions, one astronaut would be responsible for doing the quaternion calculations during a mission. These calculations are still used to orient spacecraft, and now also in 3D computer graphics.
2. We changed the face of modern warfare
. . . by inventing the first successful submarine. Designed by John Philip Holland in the late 1800s, his submarines changed the nature of naval battles forever.
3. We took away the pain
. . . when a Dublin doctor invented the hypodermic syringe at the Meath hospital in 1843. He used it to deliver a local anaesthetic to a woman who had severe pain in her face.
4. We revolutionised farming
Harry Ferguson’s tractor was light, safe and manoeuvrable. It replaced a horse and plough, and changed farming beyond recognition.
5. We electrified the world
Large-scale electricity power stations would not be possible, without the steam turbine invented by Charles Parsons in the 1880s, and still used in power stations around the world. If it wasn’t for him we would never have been able to deliver widespread electricity and electrical appliances to everyone.
These are just some of the many stories featured in my book, Ingenious Ireland — with a new updated edition due out later this year.
This post first appeared on marymulvihill.net
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