Seven Small Inventions that Changed the World

Technology and engineering surround us. From HUGE things, like spaceships and skyscrapers, to much smaller things like the toaster in our kitchen and the shoes on our feet. But all of these things only exist because of seven small inventions: the nail, the wheel, the spring, the magnet, the lens, the pump and … string. And each of these inventions has a fascinating story to tell.

Travel through centuries of history, through ancient Egypt, along the Silk Road, across the high seas and even into space, and discover how each of these seven small inventions came to be, how they work and how they changed the world forever. Find out how it’s thanks to the potter’s wheel that the International Space Station exists, and how the same nails that built pirate ships hold together the tallest buildings in the world.

In this children’s illustrated adaptation of her adult book, Nuts and Bolts, award-winning engineer turned bestselling author Roma Agrawal makes STEM accessible, intriguing and aspirational, and encourages children to be endlessly curious about the ‘things’ that make up our world.