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Visita Mikael Books en Facebook para ver más contenido de libros en inglés.

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Unit 22, page 374. Read.

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How would our world be different?

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What causes people to make remarkable discoveries or invent remarkable devices?

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How would our world be different if certain remarkable discoveries or inventions hadn't been made?

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The experiences of Isaac Newton and Henry Ford, both of whom showed great determination, can shed some light on these questions.

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Sometimes chance plays a role in scientific and technological advancement.

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In 1666, according to legend, young scientist Isaac Newton was sitting under an apple tree in his orchard.

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He looked up and saw an apple fall to the ground.

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This was a major historic.

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We could say that if Newton hadn't seen the apple fall, he wouldn't really have understood the force of gravity,

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and he probably wouldn't have formulated his famous theories.

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The apple did fall, though, and Newton did see it.

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Determined to understand this force, he theorized that two objects attract and mutually influence each other.

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If an apple, for example, falls from a tree,

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the much greater mass of the earth will attract and pull the apple to the ground.

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Isaac Newton's theory of gravitation was first sparked by a chance occurrence,

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but it was realized through his strong dedication and determination.

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After the scientist's death, his French author friend, Voltaire,

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said that Newton had never had any deep relationships with other people.

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Newton never married, perhaps feeling that,

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but if he started a family, he wouldn't be able to devote his life to achieving his real passion,

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the advancement of science.

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Newton may even have died for science before his time.

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Upon his death, toxic levels of mercury were found in his body.

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If he hadn't exposed himself to mercury and chemical experiments,

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he might have lived much longer than he did.

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It seems clear that if Newton hadn't made such sacrifices,

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he might not have had such a powerful impact on the development of mathematics,

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optics, and physics during the next centuries.

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If it hadn't been for Newton,

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we might not have many of the inventions that characterize our time,

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e.g. high-powered telescopes, airplanes, rockets, or the space station.

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Fast forward to 1908, when Henry Ford introduced his Model T Ford in Detroit,

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an action which would have been a great success for Newton.

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It was to change the world.

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Ford didn't invent the car.

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That accomplishment is generally attributed to German inventor Carl Benz.

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However, Ford was instrumental in bringing the automobile to the masses.

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Before 1908, cars were complicated machines,

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difficult to operate and repair, and expensive to own.

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Ford utilized the assembly line in his factories

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to efficiently produce an automobile

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that the average person could afford.

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In his own way, Ford was as determined as Newton.

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Before he succeeded as an automaker,

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Ford had persuaded wealthy businessmen

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to finance two other businesses

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to produce horseless carriages, i.e. cars.

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Both businesses failed, but Ford was undeterred.

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In 1903, he started a new business,

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once again gaining the support of wealthy financiers.

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This time, his business was wildly successful.

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If Ford hadn't persisted,

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the revolutionary Model T might never have been produced.

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Today, the car is ubiquitous.

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But what would our world be like

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if Ford hadn't been so determined

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to make it available to the common person?

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There would probably be fewer cars on the roads

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and fewer, if any, traffic jams.

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Car ownership might still be restricted,

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but we probably wouldn't have as many suburbs

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as we presently do,

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because the car makes it possible

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to live outside central cities.

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We can argue that if Ford hadn't marketed his Model T

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and made it widely available,

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someone else would have.

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But the result would have been vastly different.

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Ford was in the right place at the right time,

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and his efforts have changed the world.

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There are those today who wish that Ford

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had never popularized the Model T,

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or had never popularized the gasoline-burning auto.

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There are even those who wish gasoline-powered cars

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would just disappear.

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If only all cars were electric-powered, they might say.

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The car is here to stay, though,

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and it will continue to evolve.

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Inventor Thomas Edison said that

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genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

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This seems an oversimplification.

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We might restate Edison's idea

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in this way.

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Genius is 33% inspiration,

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33% perspiration,

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and 34% motivation.

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If Newton, Ford, and countless others

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hadn't been determined to forge ahead

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with their enterprises,

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today's world would undoubtedly be quite different.

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Will the efforts of future innovators

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be as far-reaching?

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That remains to be seen.