Imagination and Innovation

Andrea here, musing about imagination, which I do a lot, but today my focus is on how imagination sparks some people to come up with an idea that revolutionizes their world. Now, those of you familiar with my Wrexford & Sloane mystery series know that I’m very intrigued by momentous inventions that change the course of history, and use them as catalysts for my plots.
 
Change is such an interesting concept, fraught with so many facets. Some people embrace change, finding the new possibilities exhilarating. And some people are frightened by by change, preferring the comfort of familiarity and doing things the way they have always been done.
 
In my upcoming book, MURDER AT THE MERTON LIBRARY, which releases on September 26th, the action kicks off with the theft of an arcane old manuscript that may—or may not—hold a startling technical revelation that can be applied to creating an innovation that will change nautical travel.  One of the thigs I find fun about the research involved in coming up with the plot ideas is how it takes me down fascinating research rabbit holes.

In this case I had the actual innovation  (sorry, no spoilers!) and then went backwards in history to see how it evolved. In a sense, it’s a history of science, which is on one level is very amusing, as I know very little about science. But I’ve really enjoyed learning about it. Actually, I think one of the reasons I’m a perfect person to write this sort of “scientific” mystery is because I have to simplify the concepts in my own head (that is, have friends who are way smarter than I am help me grasp the basics) and so I can usually explain ideas in a way that readers with no science background can understand.
 
To illustrate what I mean, I thought I’d share some of the fascinating concepts I’ve explored during my writing of Wrexford & Sloane. For this latest book, I did a lot of look at Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks. I’m sure you’ve all seen the famous “flying machine.” But that’s only one of many concepts that he envisioned centuries before the the technical expertise became sophisticated enough to actually build them.
 
Another really interesting idea were adding machines, which developed into the precursor of the modern computer. A famous example is Blaise Pascal’s “Pascaline,” invented in 1642. Its main innovation was that it could “carry” numbers, allowing it to perform complex calculations. And then of course, there is Charles Babbage’s famous Analytical Engine, which inspired  MURDER AT QUEEN’S LANDING, which could run a simple “program” (in this case designed by Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron who was a math genius.) It’s considered the first computer.
 
Weaponry is a very fertile ground for finding momentous innovations. Congreve rockets, mercury fulminate, rifling, which allowed more accuracy in firearms—the list is quite long. One key development in the Regency era were multi-shot pistols, the precursor of the iconic Colt 45. I discovered the Collier pistol during my research on famous gunmakers of the Regency (though Collier was an upstart American!)
 
One of the things I also find fascinating is the good ideas that simply couldn’t be made to work. Sometimes they were just too ahead of their times—the materials and the production techniques simply weren’t available. And sometimes, the idea seemed good, but the scientific basis for why it should work was simply wrong. History is littered with interesting failures! (There is a great quote that says, “Good ideas are a dime a dozen. It’s the “what’s next” that kills you.”
 
Which brings me back to MURDER AT THE MERTON LIBRARY . . . the innovation in the story has some twists and turns . . . I hope you enjoy them!
 
Do you have any favorite inventions in history! Or any ones you wish WEREN’T invented? Is there one technical device in your life today that you would hate to give up? (My washing machine is on its last legs, and I am very aware of how much I would freak out if I didn’t have one. The new one is arriving this week!)
 

Comments

[Linnea J Priest]

eyeglasses. it is so wonderful to be able to see! horribly nearsighted and the world was a completly blurred place with colors; after cataract surgery, some of my myopia has been corrected and I see better without them but need them to drive. The surgeon put in new lenses with some correction. the modern world has some wonderful things!

[Kareni]

Like you, Andrea, I would sorely miss my washing machine were it to disappear or break down. I would miss my dryer, too. (I know that the latter are far less common in parts of the world; my daughter in South Korea does not have one.) On reflection, I'd miss a flushing toilet even more!

Thanks for a thought provoking post, and best wishes as you release MURDER AT THE MERTON LIBRARY in September.

[Kareni]

And now I'm thinking of how very different life would be without a ready supply of books, so perhaps I should cast my vote for the printing press.

@Linnea J Priest, eyeglasses is an excellent choice!

[Quantum]

There are so many brilliant devices now, many involving micro electronics, that it is very hard to choose one. Having got lost on a car journey recently I think my vote goes to the sat-nav, especially the fancy ones that detect traffic jams and road works and re-route automatically. The medical advances (eg robotically assisted hip replacement or the eye surgery mentioned by Linnea are also near the top of my list). It's great to see science featuring in novels .... I'm all for it .... I'm currently reading Joe Callaghan's 'In the blink of an eye' featuring a robotic AI police assistant. Science is so vital in shaping lives that it deserves to be highlighted more often I think.

Good luck with the new book Andrea ..... I do hope there will be an audio version!

[Binnie Syril Braunstein]

Andrea-Let me not mention my (un)washing machine, which is unfortunately long past its last legs. Instead, let's think about another visionary, who, like Da Vinci, could somehow seem to see into the future. I'm thinking of Gene Roddenberry, the brilliant creative genius behind Star Trek. His vision of the future took place on television screens in front of our eyes. And the inventions he envisioned are in our world today- inventions we perhaps take for granted. In the original series, the characters used "communicators." Think "cell phone." And in Star Trek, The Next Generation, the crew all used tablets. Ever heard of an iPad? When I first learned of iPADs, the first thing I thought of was Star Trek TNG. So sometime, an inventor may not predict the future, but parts of his vision of the future may indeed be in our present, not least of which is the cell phone currently in my hand. Beam me up, Scotty!"

[Andrea Penrose]

Linnea, OMG, eyeglasses were a VERY important invention. I r need reading glasses these days, and I can't imagine my life without being able to read books r look at details in paintings, etc. I cant even imagine if everything was a watery blur.

[Andrea Penrose]

LOL- Agree that the printing ress is right up there, too!

[Andrea Penrose]

Quantum, you are SO right that modern science has given us so many wonderful advancements in techonology, medicine, etc that truly make our lives better. Navigation is a really important tool, as are all the mdical treatments that relieve chronic pain—which most people had to live with i the past. Our quality of life is really quite marvelous.

I'm not familiar with the Callaghan books but they sound fascinating and very timely!

Thanks so much for the good wishes.Yes, there will be an audiobook coming. (They never tell me exactly when!)

[Andrea Penrose]

p.s. And thanks for the good wishes on the new book!

[Andrea Penrose]

Binnie, that's such an fun observation. Science fiction writers have long been great at imagining the future that comes to be. (Jules Verne and his submarines!) I never got into watching Star Trek, but I know how influential it was.

[Teresa Broderick]

Grew up with Star Trek Binnie and I used to wonder what it would be like if we had all the contraptions they used!! Who knew a lot of it would come to pass.

[Teresa Broderick]

I too would find it hard to pick just one thing I couldn't do without, there have been so many wonderful inventions. Some of my childhood was spent growing up in a house with no electricity so I guess it would have to be this discovery above all else. After all we wouldn't have the rest without it!
Really interesting post.

[Karin]

I'm looking forward to the next Wrexford & Sloane book. I'm fascinated by how many inventions came out of the non-Western world, for instance, I was recently reading about Ismail al-Jazari, who lived almost 1,000 years ago, and is considered the father of robotics-he invented all kinds of automata, clocks, hydro-powered devices, and much more.
As for modern inventions, I would rather wash my clothes by hand than give up plane travel! How amazing it is to get to the other side of the world in a matter of hours!

[Annette N]

I don't know where to begin. Y'all have already named so many things I like and use. One thing - I live with a dog who has long silky hair, a vacuum is my friend. I get to communicate with you on my computer, that is a good thing. I am nearly sightless without my glasses. I get to talk to family and friends near and far because I have a regular phone as well as a cell phone.

We live in a time and place where we are blessed because there have been people who had ideas and were brilliant enough to put those ideas into actual inventions that have helped mankind and womankind.

Thanks for this post, it is a good reminder to me to be happy I live in this time.

[Andrea Penrose]

SO true, Teresa. Electricity is the source of so many essentials today. I've lost electricity in a hurricane for 6 days, and life truly is totally different. So much of what we do every day is dependent on it.

[Andrea Penrose]

We truly are blessed with having life so much easier than eras in the past. We all know there is a dark side to tech. But it also does so many good things, and gives us a chance to broaden our horizons and do things that people couldn't conceive of in day gone by,I don;' think f us would like to give up modern conveniences, medicine, etc.