Sign-In
Cart
The Greatest Inventions in History: The Ideas That Changed How Humans Live
Paperback
Series: How the Modern World Works, Book 5
Publisher: Publishdrive
Published: Jul 21 2026
Pages: 318
Weight: 0.94
Height: 0.67 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
What connects the first stone tools to smartphones, steam engines, aeroplanes and modern medicine?
Every great invention is part of a much larger human story.
The Greatest Inventions in History takes young readers on an exciting journey through the ideas that transformed civilisation. Discover how early humans mastered tools and fire, how farming and writing changed society, why the wheel became far more than a way to travel, and how printing allowed knowledge to reach millions.
Follow the development of clocks, compasses, sanitation, engines, factories and electricity. Learn how vaccines, antibiotics and medical imaging helped save lives; how cars and aeroplanes reshaped movement; and how photography, recorded sound, telecommunications and computers created the connected world of today.
Along the way, the book challenges familiar myths about lone geniuses and sudden breakthroughs. Inventions usually emerge through teamwork, experiments, failures and improvements made across different cultures and generations. Their consequences can also be complicated: the same technology may solve an urgent problem while creating new dangers, inequalities or environmental costs.
Written in clear and engaging language for readers aged 9-13, this richly detailed book explains not only what people invented, but how the inventions worked, why they mattered and how they changed everyday life.
From sharpened stone to digital information, this is the extraordinary story of how human curiosity, cooperation and imagination built the modern world.
Also from
Psaila, Etienne
The Trials Motorcycle: Balance, control, impossible obstacles and the quiet art of two-wheeled skill
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Built for Speed: The Swedish Hypercar Story of Innovation, Records, and Legacy
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Sprint car nation: Dirt ovals, winged machines, small-town tracks and America's Saturday-night speed culture
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Age of Ice and Giants: Mammoths, Sabre-Toothed Cats and the Humans Who Lived Beside Them
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Beginner's Guide to Motorsport: F1, Rally, Endurance, Touring Cars, Bikes, and What Makes Each One Different
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Smart with Stem: A Kid's Guide to Exploring, Building, and Thinking Like a Scientist
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Long Blue Thread: An Independent History of Brooklyn-to-Los Angeles Baseball
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Iron and Innovation: The Definitive History of Vincent Motorcycles (Unofficial Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Walking Fitness Revolution: Health, Weight, Mood, and Longevity One Step at a Time
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Used Car Survival Guide: What to Check, What to Avoid, and How to Think Before Buying
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Quarter-Mile Thunder: Drag Racing, Top Fuel Monsters, and the Search for Perfect Acceleration
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Small Cars, Big Change: How Compact Cars Rewired Cities, Mobility, Fuel Economy, and Design Across the World
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
How Racing Cars Work: A Plain-English Guide to Grip, Aero, Tyres, Brakes, Engines, and Strategy
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Stunt Car: Crashes, Jumps, Roll Cages, and the Machines Built to Be Destroyed
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Italian Café Culture & the Scooter Boom: Style, Street Life, and Postwar Mobility in Italy
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Rescue Machines: The World's Most Iconic Ambulances, Fire Engines, and Emergency Vehicles
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The V12 Engine: Smoothness, Status, and the Cylinder Count That Became Luxury
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Rallycross revolution: Gravel, tarmac, short heats and the racing format built for chaos
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Beginner's Running Plan: From First Walk-Run to Confident 5K and Beyond
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Luxury Without Limits: The Story of the World's Modern Ultra Luxury Flagship
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Hybrid Cars Explained: From Mild Hybrid to Plug-In, Performance Hybrid, and Range Extender
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Turbo-Hybrid Grand Prix Era: How Electrified Power, Strategy, Aerodynamics, and Dominance Reshaped Modern Formula Racing
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Lost Championships of Motorsport: Forgotten Racing Series, Failed Experiments, and the Ideas That Were Too Wild to Last
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Evolution of Britain's Iconic 4x4: An Independent History of the Utility Vehicle That Redefined Off-Road Adventure
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Crest of American Luxury: A century of automotive innovation, design, performance, and prestige
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The AI Teacher's Toolkit: Lesson Planning, Feedback, Classroom Workflows, and Student Thinking in the New School Era
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Discipline Habit: Small Rules for People Who Want Results Without Drama
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Last Great Twelve: How the Naturally Aspirated Grand Tourer Reached Its Peak
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Italian Thunder: The Story of Two Mid Engine Rally Legends and the Wild Age That Made Them
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Pure Speed, No Compromise: The Story of an Iconic Single Seat V12 Speedster
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Original Muscle: How One Bold American Performance Car Started a Revolution
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Shape of Tomorrow: How a Visionary French GT Changed Automotive Design Forever
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Thunder on the Oval: The Drivers, Drama, and Defining Moments of American Stock Car Racing
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Britain's Racing Grounds: How Hills, Circuits, Airfields, and Parkland Roads Built a Motorsport Nation
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Mountain Course Legends: The Riders, Machines, and Drama of Road Racing's Greatest Test
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Desert Warriors: Motorcycle Heroes of the Rally-Raid (Unofficial Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Green Machine: The Story of Speed, Innovation, and the Future of a Motorcycle Legend
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Quiet Advantage: How Calm Thinking Beats Fast Reactions in a Noisy World
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Use AI, Stay Human: A Practical Guide to Smarter Work Without Losing Yourself
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
When Everything Feels Heavy: A Book of Hope, Perspective, and Inner Strength
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Group C Years: Fuel Limits, Prototype Monsters, and the Golden Age of Endurance Racing
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Beginner's Guide to Formula 1: Teams, Rules, Strategy, Technology, and Race Weekends Explained
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Car That Won Everywhere: From Family Driveways to International Rally Stages
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Futureproof You: How to Stay Valuable, Adaptable, and Clear in the Age of AI
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Rowing Machine Beginner: Technique, Resistance, Workouts and Full-Body Fitness Without Impact
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Forgotten Child: The Rise, Reinvention, and Collapse of an American Mid Price Marque
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Japan's turbocharged icon: The documented evolution of a legendary performance car lineage
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Box That Beat Fashion: Safety, Utility, and the Square Car People Still Remember (Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Road Test: Magazines, Test Tracks, Stopwatches, and the Art of Judging Cars
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Lost Worlds of the Past: The Strange Creatures That Lived Before the Dinosaurs
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Modern Champion of Grand Prix Racing: Speed, Pressure, Rivalries, and the Rise of a New Formula Racing Era
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Karting to Formula Cars: The Ladder, the Costs, the Skills, and the Reality
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The History of Racing Safety: Fire, Barriers, Helmets, Survival Cells, and Cultural Change
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Prosperity on Paper: GDP per Capita, Household Income and the Search for a Better Measure of How People Live
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Motorsport's Banned Machines: The Cars, Bikes, Engines, and Ideas That Became Too Fast, Too Costly, or Too Dangerous
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Everyday Executive: The Family Saloon That Became a Business-Class Standard (Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The British Plastic Rocket: Fibreglass, V8 Noise, and the Sports Car That Refused Restraint (Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Forgotten Family Hero: The Car That Carried Britain Through Ordinary Life (Independent Book)
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Proving Ground: Secret Tracks, Desert Heat, Arctic Cold, and the Places Where Cars Are Tested
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Day the Universe Began: From the Big Bang to the First Stars and Galaxies
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Into the Black Hole: Gravity, Space and the Strangest Objects in the Universe
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Great Story of Life: From the First Cells to Dinosaurs, Mammals and Humans
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Weather Gone Wild: Storms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes and the Power of the Atmosphere
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Great Freshwater Journey: From Raindrops and Rivers to Lakes, Dams and Drinking Water
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
How the World Gets Its Energy: From Fire and Fossil Fuels to Wind, Sun and Nuclear Power
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Day Everything Went Wrong: Great Disasters and What Humanity Learned from Them
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Secret World Beneath Our Feet: Soil, Roots, Fungi and the Hidden Life Underground
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
How Animals Survive: The Extraordinary Adaptations That Keep Creatures Alive
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Invisible World: Bacteria, Viruses and the Tiny Organisms All Around Us
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Great Dinosaur Takeover: How Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and Why They Disappeared
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
When Monsters Ruled the Seas: The Prehistoric Creatures That Lived Beneath the Waves
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Can a Machine Think?: Artificial Intelligence Explained for Curious Young Minds
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Van That Moved Britain: Trades, Families, Deliveries and the Commercial Vehicle Behind Everyday Life
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Manual Gearbox: The Rise, Glory, and Survival of the Driver's Last Mechanical Link
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Lamborghini: La Ricerca dell'Eccellenza: Un Viaggio attraverso l'Innovazione e il Design
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Subaru: Spingere i Confini del Progresso: Un Viaggio di Innovazione, Avventura e Comunità
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
L'Histoire de Rallye: L'Evolution et L'Impact d'une Tradition de Sport Automobile
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Electric Soul: The Story of a German Performance Icon's Leap into the Electric Age
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Elegance in Motion: An Italian Grand Tourer, Coastal Roads, and the Art of Open Air Performance
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Past Power, Future Vision: The Story of an Icon Reimagined for the Hybrid Age
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Quiet Revolution: How a Japanese Luxury Sedan Redefined Refinement, Reliability, and the Modern Flagship
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Renaissance of Speed: The Untold Story of the Quad Turbo Icon That Revived a Sleeping Legend
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Mad Genius: The Untold Story of Britain's Wild Mid Engined Group B Challenger
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Compact Class, Premium Standard: How a Small Luxury Car Redefined Its Segment
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
American Precision: A Chronicle of Engineering, Craftsmanship, and the Pursuit of Modern Luxury
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
The Quiet Revolution: How a Japanese Flagship Sedan Redefined Modern Luxury
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Sharp Lines, Pure Speed: The Story of Britain's Definitive Wedge-Shaped Supercar
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Electric Lightness: How a British Hypercar Reimagined Performance for the Electric Age
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Rebel Engineering: The Story of America's Most Unconventional Motorcycle Visionary
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Built to Be Beautiful: The Rise, Struggle, and Enduring Legacy of a Handcrafted Roadster
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Blueprint for the Super Wagon: The Inside Story of the Performance Estate That Started a Revolution
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Himalayan High: The New 450, the Cult of Simple Adventure Bikes, and the Rise of Affordable Exploration
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Superbike Showdowns: Factory Rivalries, Production Racers, and the Battle for Two-Wheeled Glory
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Sussex at Speed: A Detailed History of England's Celebrated Motor Circuit and the People, Cars, and Events That Defined It
Psaila, Etienne
Paperback
Also in
Science & Nature
Up Close and Incredible: Human Body: An Interactive Adventure with a 3× Magnifying Glass
Thomas, Isabel
Hardcover
A Little Book of Slime: Everything That Oozes, from Killer Slime to Living Mold
Twist, Clint
Hardcover
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs
National Geographic Kids
Hughes, Catherine D.
Hardcover
Spooky Rivers: 25 Strange and Mysterious Rivers That Snake Across Our Planet
Rutherford, Geo
Hardcover
Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish: (A Picture Book Exploring Ocean Life, Marine Science, and Underwater Wonders for Ages 6-8, Grades 1-3)
Weatherford, Carole Boston
Hardcover
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space, 2nd Edition
Hughes, Catherine D.
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
National Geographic Kids Science Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition: Atom Smashing, Food Chemistry, Animals, Space, and More!
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
Buffalo Ways: The Enduring Story of Buffalo and the First Peoples of North America
Havrelock, Deidre
Hardcover
Paint by Sticker Kids (Official): Outer Space: Create 10 Pictures One Sticker at a Time! Includes Glow-In-The-Dark Stickers
Workman Publishing
Paperback
Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution
Mead, John S.
Aronson, Marc
Hardcover
We Need to Talk about Cancer: An Important Book for Patients, Family, and Friends
Juneja, Sanjay
Neon Squid
Paperback
Cryptids: Uncover the Secrets Behind the World's Most Baffling Beasts and Curious Creatures
MacFarlane, Tamara
Hardcover
A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out
Day, Nicholas
Hardcover
When Twilight Comes: The Animals and Plants That Bring Dawn and Dusk to Life
Atkins, Marcie Flinchum
Hardcover
We Can Hear Without Ears: And Other Things You Didn't Know We Plants Could Do
Peters, Lisa Westberg
Hardcover
Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
Workman Publishing
Paperback
Eyes, Knees, Boundaries, Please!: My First Book about Private Parts and Consent
Playforth, Krupa Bhojani, MD
Hardcover
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why: Questions and Answers about the World for Curious Kids
Shields, Amy
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
National Geographic Little Kids First Encyclopedia of Almost Everything
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space
Hughes, Catherine D.
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
An Anthology of Beetles: A Collection of Brilliant Beetles from Around the World
Jones, Richard
Hardcover
An Anthology of Flowers: A Collection of Flowers from Gardens, Mountains and More, with Fascinating Secrets
Bailey, Maddie
Hardcover
The Big Book of Pi: The Famous Number You Can Never Know
Lehmann, Anita
Aubin, Jean-Baptiste
Hardcover
National Geographic Kids Why?: Over 1,111 Answers to Everything
Boyer, Crispin
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
Beasts from Before the Dinosaurs: Extraordinary Forgotten Creatures from 250 Million Years Ago
Lerwill, Ben
Hardcover
Extreme Engineering: Behind the Scenes with Youtube's Most Epic Engineer (Crunchlabs by Mark Rober)
Rober, Mark
Paperback
Why Space Will Freak You Out: The Scariest, Strangest Parts of the Universe
Watzke, Megan
Arcand, Kimberly K.
Paperback
Boo!: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Fear (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Gifford, Clive
Hardcover
Don't Call Me a Star!: A Fun, Fact-Filled Adventure That Sets the Record Straight!
Guillain, Charlotte
Hardcover
What Goes on Inside a Tide Pool: A Hermit Crab's Search for a New Home
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Scott, Katy
Hardcover
Chasing Eruptions: How Volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft Helped Save 60,000 Lives-But Lost Their Own
Manley, Curtis
Hardcover
The Danger Files: True Survival Stories: (Real-Life Disasters, Survival Skills, Science, and Life-Or-Death Decisions for Kids Ages 7-10)
Crowley Redding, Anna
Hardcover
Still Water: The Wonders of Ponds, Pools, Wetlands, and More
Michno, Maciej
Miserocchi, Danio
Gottardi, Valentina
Hardcover