REFLEKTOR / SPOTLIGHT
DID YOU KNOW? From the telescope to Wi-Fi, via the humble orange carrot The great people of the Netherlands have built the modern world as we know it today A s a country that’s re- nowned for its for- ward-thinking and in- novative culture, the Netherlands is credited with the inventions of many devices that we today take for granted. Here are just a few of the top inventions for which we have the Dutch to thank... 1. The Microscope Dutch Father-Son team Hans and Zac- charias Jansen invented the micro- scope in the 1590s, while working as spectacle-makers in the city of Mid- delburg. The original prototype, which magnified an object between three and nine times, was used primarily as a novelty item. 2. The Eye Test If you’re wearing spectacles right now, you might take a moment to thank Dutchman Herman Snellen. Snellen invented the original eye test back in 1862. A modern version of his letter chart is still used to diagnose vision problems today. 3. Cassette, CD, DVD and Blu-Ray Physical media were born in the Neth- erlands. In 1963, Dutch gadget giant Philips began the age of mixtapes with the invention of the compact cassette. Nearly twenty years on, the compa- ny replaced its own invention with the CD. When it came time to replace the VHS in 1997, Philips did that too, with
7. The Stock Market Dutch legislators and businessmen in- vented the first stock market in 1602, and everyone was invited to invest, re- gardless of their social standing. This widespread availability ultimately as- sisted in the growth of the country’s economy during the 1600s. 8. Levees and Man-Made Islands The Dutch have long been known for their expertise in water-related innova- tion. It should thus come as no surprise that the Dutch were the first to build levees (or dykes) and manmade islands. Whether it’s the intricate canals of Am- sterdam, modern bridges that adapt to rising tides along the Waal River or the plan for a man-made island windfarm, the Dutch know how to work with wa- ter and still serve as leaders across the world in creating adaptive designs for the changing tides. 9. The Telescope It was in 1608 that Hans Lippershey developed the first telescope, pre- cisely one year before Galileo Gali- lei mapped the stars with the help of this Dutchman’s early design. The Netherlands continues to reach for the stars today, with industry leaders in aerospace and aviation consistently inventing new ways to study galaxies and the worlds beyond.
the DVD. The company later updated the format to the Blu-ray discs that are used today. 4. Bluetooth Bluetooth, a staple in modern-day technology, has its roots in the Neth- erlands. It was in the 1990s that the idea of wireless connectivity between devices was introduced by Dutch engi- neer Dr Jaap Haartsen. 5. Wi-Fi Do you have help of Wi-Fi? If so you’re using a Dutch invention that defines the 21 st century. Network scientists Victor Hayes and Cees Links creat- ed the basis for WaveLAN, which lat- er became Wi-Fi, in Nieuwegein. In the 1990s, Links ensured that products with the wireless technology were de- veloped, for example, by bringing Ap- ple on board, while his wife came up with the name “Wi-Fi.” 6. Orange Carrots Did you know that, prior to the 17 th century, carrots were mostly purple, white or yellow? It was in the Nether- lands that the orange carrot we know today first sprouted, due to a genet- ic mutation. The Dutch Royal Fam- ily, also known as the House of Or- ange, found orange carrots exquisite and decided to cultivate them in the Netherlands.
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