Sir Bedevere:
'Now, why do witches burn?'
Peasant:
'...because they're made of... wood?'
Sir Bedevere:
'Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?'
Peasant 2:
'Build a bridge out of her.'
From Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Picture: Rex Features
Steel patentIn 1855, a steel-making process was patented by Sir Henry Bessemer, a British inventor and metallurgist (British patent 2,321). His patent was for a method of making steel by blasting compressed air through molten iron to remove impurities and excess carbon. The “Bessemer Process,” made it possible to mass-produce steel inexpensively. In the course of his life, Bessemer earned more than 100 patents, knighthood, and great wealth. |
