Smithsonian Channel - My Million Dollar Invention Series 1 (2015) Part 6 Life and Death

My Million Dollar Invention

What was Edison's questionable role in the development of the electric chair? Which household utensil came from the mind of a prisoner? How was the Maclaren baby buggy inspired by a fighter plane? Behind many million-dollar inventions are priceless stories of inspiration, controversy, triumph, and tragedy. Explore inventions large and small, lifesaving and life-taking, scary and playful, and meet the men and women who dedicated, and often risked, their lives to follow their vision and ultimately change the world.

Part 6 Life and Death

Was a new invention's ability to save a dying president thwarted by a coil-spring mattress? Did one of the greatest medical innovations of the 20th century come from a simple radio enthusiast? Could a seed-planting device really be the inspiration for one of the military's deadliest weapons? And can you believe the futuristic 3D printer is actually 30 years old? We reveal the true stories behind four inventions that made history, made millions for their creators, and impacted humanity for good and bad.

Smithsonian Channel

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