Independent | Eco-friendly | Up to 75% off

30-Second Great Inventions

50 Light-bulb Moments that Changed the World, from the Compass to the Smartphone, Each Explained in Half a Minute

Ed. David Boyle
Part of the 30-second series, this book summarizes 50 key inventions in paragraphs of about 300 words (with a picture) contributed by an expert in the field. Covering materials, construction, transport, medicine, communication, energy and daily life, the concise essays are accompanied by ‘3-second’ biographies of significant figures and an extra ‘3-minute’ section that provides further context and insight. Age 12+
Postscript description
Read full publisher description

RRP £14.99

£7.99

Free UK delivery on orders over £25

Product information:
  • Publisher: Ivy
  • Year: 2018
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 160pp
  • Illustrated: Yes
  • Dimensions: 227x180mm
  • ISBN: 9781782405122
  • Condition: New
  • Weight: 0.7kg
Product code:
511498
Product information
Full publisher description
Universal change is often the result of an individual's lightbulb moment - an invention that triggers a ripple effect across countries, continents, or even out into space. Great Inventions in 30 Seconds looks at fifty of these groundbreaking innovations - great ideas that really did change the world. It covers a wide range, from early days (the wheel) through materials (the invention of steel, for example, or plastic) to communications (the alphabet, the printing press, the Worldwide Web) and the conveniences of (relatively) modern daily life (refrigeration, indoor plumbing, central heating). It's a sharp reminder that almost every aspect of life in the second decade of the 21st century is the result of someone's bright idea, - and one that they acted on to turn it into a viable invention. Along the way you'll learn all about the personalities behind the inventions: revealing and intriguing in equal measure.
Read full publisher description
Reasons to shop at Postscript

Independent bookseller
Established in 1987, we’ve been sharing reading recommendations for decades.

Books you won’t find elsewhere
Discover new authors among our frequently changing bookshelves, along with almost-forgotten gems and a wealth of unusual titles you won’t find elsewhere.

Eco-friendly packaging
Orders are carefully packed in recyclable cardboard boxes, eco-friendly bubble wrap and solvent-free labels, paper and tape.

Condition and price
All our books are new, unused and unread, and they’re all up to 75% off RRP.

FREE monthly catalogue
Featuring over 400 handpicked titles, our unique catalogue is carefully curated and includes new and unusual titles, special features and exclusive collections.

Email newsletters
Our tailored newsletters are written by our booksellers, and we always highlight the books that we have talked about most in the Postscript office.

Footnotes blog
Some books spark ideas and conversations that our catalogue can’t contain – our Footnotes blog offers a deeper dive into a wealth of topics to inspire further reading.

Aftercare
We are all serious book people and we understand the value of reading. This is why we package our books so carefully and employ a helpful in-house customer services team to promptly resolve any queries you may have.

Delivery information - FREE UK delivery on orders over £25

UK

Free UK standard delivery on all online orders over £25

Flat rate for all standard delivery orders: ‬£3.00 (3-5 working days)

Flat rate for Next Day orders (orders must be placed before 1pm, Monday–Friday): ‬£4.50

Flat rate for all Royal Mail Tracked48 orders: ‬£5.50 (2-4 working days)

Standard delivery‭: ‬3-5‭ ‬working days‭ (‬Highlands and Islands 5-7‭ ‬working days‭)‬

Next day delivery‭: ‬Available all UK excluding Highlands and Islands

Collect your order from a local shop – prices and delivery times as above

Overseas

All orders‭: ‬delivery costs for orders outside the UK are based on country of destination and product weight.

You can view your overseas delivery cost using the Summary section within the Basket‭.‬

For more information on delivery/overseas orders please refer to our Delivery Information.