Who, for example, can name the inventor of the hair-dryer (Chester Beach), the electric washing machine (Alva Fisher) or the ice lolly (Frank Epperson)?

ECONOMIST: Encapsulating a century in gadgets

The menu lists more than 450, with the in-house concoctions annotated with the name of the inventor.

BBC: Munich, without beer

As the inventor of the breathalyser, a name that went into the dictionary, Mr Borkenstein was in much demand as a speaker in a country in love with the car but appalled by the carnage on the road.

ECONOMIST: Robert Borkenstein

How well he succeeded is evinced by the fact that today not many people know the inventor's remarkable story, or name Philo T.

FORBES: Channeling Philo

How well he succeeded is evinced by the fact that today not many people know the inventor's remarkable story, or name Philo T.

FORBES: Channeling Philo

In 1903, Richard Gatling, American inventor of the cylinder gun that bears his name, died.

CNN: Thursday,

According to stock market legend, the company's odd name is a reference to the inventor Q in the James Bond films.

BBC: Strike considered over pay freeze

In 1916, Sir Hiram Maxim, American-born British inventor best known for the machine gun that bears his name, died.

CNN: Sunday,

Jefferson Han, the Wall's inventor, has sold a bunch to government agencies he cannot name, as well as to big companies wanting novel ways to visualize data.

FORBES: Magazine Article