Hedy Lamarr, A Hollywood actress who also a mathematician and inventor
I believe it’s accurate to claim that the internet has altered the course of history. Consider using the internet without Wi-Fi for a moment. Yes, we did back when there was “dial-up,” but it seems like a very long time ago. If some very smart people hadn’t used their intelligence and inventiveness, this amazing innovation might never have been made.
You may be familiar with well-known figures like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, but did you know that one remarkable woman made significant contributions to the growth of the internet and the tech industry? She also wasn’t a well-known scientist or Nobel Prize recipient. Hedy Lamarr was a well-known Hollywood actress. The actress also led a very interesting life, contributing to the development of one of history’s most significant inventions.
Who Was This Famous Hollywood Actress and her inventions?
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress who also worked as an inventor on the side. She was renowned for her gorgeous beauty and superb acting abilities, but she was in no way just a lovely face. The actress was a great person as well. Now who was this famous Hollywood actress?
Like so many Hollywood celebrities, Lamarr made the decision to change her name in order to fit the “mould” of Hollywood. She was Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler at birth. Since many of the celebrities at the time were of European descent and the general people didn’t really like names with German roots, it was common for stars to go by new names. Lamarr was born in the lovely city of Vienna, Austria, in 1914.
Hedy Lamarr, an Austrian-born actress most renowned for her seductive performances in the 1930s and 1940s, struggled with her beautiful features throughout her life. She served as the model for the iconic cartoon beauties Snow White and Catwoman thanks to her unrivaled beauty, and in the 1940s, more patients seeking plastic surgery wanted her profile than any other. She would frequently assert that aesthetics weren’t important to her, yet later in life, she herself underwent repeated plastic surgery. She could not bear to lose her youthful attractiveness.
A recent addition to the National Portrait Gallery honoring the actress beautifully captures that beauty. Conspiratori, her World War II picture, was promoted with this Italian poster (The Conspirators). Her appearance embodies the appeal that made her the “most beautiful lady in the world.”
But Hedy Lamarr was much more than just her lovely dark hair, transparent fair complexion, and brilliant green eyes. She was a brilliant innovator who laid the seed for some of today’s most pervasive technology, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, cordless phones, and cell phones. Her innovations came from a convoluted existence that was full of ambiguities and elusive realities and was not like the movie star she appeared to be.
When Lamarr took apart and put back together a music box at the age of 5, she sparked an interest in inventing that she never lost. She collaborated on her inventions with a strange composer named George Antheil. They collaborated primarily behind closed doors, and because Lamarr’s autobiography, which was ghostwritten, omits any mention of her innovations, more information about how she approached her job is woefully lacking. Carmelo “Nino” Amarena, an inventor, recalls conversing with Lamarr in 1997. Amarena remarked, “We conversed like two engineers working on a hot project. I always felt like I was speaking to a fellow innovator rather than a movie star.
In the early stages of World War II, Lamarr made a significant discovery while working on a device to prevent opposing ships from jamming torpedo guidance signals. Nobody knows what inspired the concept, but Antheil acknowledged that Lamarr’s design was used as the basis for his practical model. They devised a method for the radio guidance transmitter and torpedo’s receiver to switch frequencies at the same time, rendering it difficult for the adversary to track and intercept a message before it changed frequencies. This strategy was dubbed “frequency hopping.”
But when Lamarr and Antheil presented their invention to the United States Navy engineers rejected it because they felt it was too complicated. A contractor hired by the Navy to develop a sonobuoy that could be thrown into the water from an airplane to detect submarines was given Lamarr’s idea in the middle of the 1950s, when lightweight transistors were becoming more readily available. Over time, that contractor and others have used Lamarr’s design as a launching pad for more ambitious concepts. Despite the fact that Lamarr and Antheil’s patent didn’t expire until 1959, they were never paid for the use of their idea. All American ships on a blockade line around Cuba in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 were armed with torpedoes that were guided by a “frequency-hopping” mechanism.
Lamarr, who was raised in Vienna in an assimilated Jewish family, would eventually conceal her heritage, even to her own kids. She often expressed contempt for the Nazis, some of whom had dined at her table when she was married to an Austrian munitions manufacturer, Fritz Mandl, according to Antheil’s memoir, Bad Boy of Music, who claims that she initiated their effort to develop weapons for the Allies because “she did not feel comfortable sitting there in Hollywood and making lots of money when things were in such a state.” She recalled that the Germans and other prospective buyers had discussed secret weaponry at her house, however it is not known if she had heard these discussions. Benito Mussolini, the head of the Italian Fascist movement, was one among those who entered her house.
She later claimed that Adolf Hitler had dinner at her home, but her biographers do not accept this claim because she and her husband were both Jews, and as a result, lower-ranking Nazis visited them at home rather than meeting in a more open location. She claimed that her spouse frequently sought her advice on new weapons, and it’s probable that their discussions inspired her to start designing her own guns. Some have claimed that she plagiarized Mandl or one of his guests by using the concept of “frequency hopping,” but she has denied this and no German weapons have ever employed the concept.
Lamarr passed away in January 2000 at the age of 85, but even as she approached death, she continued to create items, including a bright dog collar, upgrades for the Concorde jet, and a new style of stoplight. She would be happy with the legacy of her “frequency hopping” idea, according to her son Anthony Loder, who said this after her passing: “She would love to be remembered as someone who contributed to the well-being of humankind.”
Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint
This clay tablet, written in cuneiform, is the oldest known written customer complaint about the delivery of poor quality copper ingots. Originally from ancient Babylon, the tablet dates back to 1750 BCE, and it was written by a customer named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-Nasir. It is currently housed in the British Museum.
A Brief History of the PlayStation Gaming Console
Sony's PlayStation was never meant to be an actual product. Instead, it was intended to be a CD-ROM console that would support Nintendo games. However, when Nintendo backed out of the deal at the last minute, Sony went ahead and launched what soon became one of the most successful gaming consoles of all time.
8 Interesting Facts About The Unsinkable Ship, TITANIC
If you ask your friends what's the most famous ship in history the answer in most cases will be the same, of course the legendary Titanic. Its history is full of mysteries, at first it was a source of hope and national pride as well as proof of the triumphs of mankind but it soon became a source of nostalgia and pain, the extent of which cannot be described in words.
The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter
Anne Oakley was such a good shooter that she could split a playing card help edge-on, hit dimes thrown into the air, shoot cigarette from her husband's lips, and pierce a playing card thrown into the air before it hit the ground.
Why the Word ‘Pen’ Comes from the Latin ‘Penna’ Meaning Feather
The humble word “pen” carries a rich history rooted in ancient times, derived from the Latin word penna, meaning “feather.” Long before modern pens revolutionized writing, feather quills—especially from geese—were the essential tools of scribes, scholars, and artists. This article journeys through the origins of the pen, its evolution, and fascinating trivia about the timeless connection between feathers and writing.
Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy
A 2,000-year-old mummy of a Chinese woman, Xin Zhui, also known as “Lady Dai,” was preserved in 21 gallons of an “unknown liquid.” With her original hair, organs, eyebrows, and eyelashes intact, the mummy still has blood in her veins. Her skin and ligaments are soft and as flexible as that of a living person.
Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.
Ancient Jericho: The First Walled City In History
The ancient city of Jericho is the world's oldest walled city, with evidence of stone fortifications dating back nearly 9000 years.
The Forgotten Story of Semipalatinsk and the Soviet Nuclear Experiments
Between 1949 and 1989, the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan became the primary location for Soviet nuclear weapons tests, exposing millions of unsuspecting villagers to radioactive fallout. Known as the “Polygon of Suffering,” this remote desert witnessed 456 nuclear detonations that caused widespread health crises, birth defects, and generational genetic damage. This article narrates the chilling legacy of Semipalatinsk, unveiling the human cost of Cold War arms development and the ongoing struggle for healing and recognition in Kazakhstan.
Philippines, the largest supplier of Nurses in the World
Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses, supplying roughly 25% of all overseas nurses worldwide.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
The Amazing Truth About The German U-Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet
During WWII, a German captain and an engineer flushed the submarine's high-tech toilet incorrectly, causing the vessel to rapidly fill with water. British planes patrolling the sea attacked them as the submarine was brought to the surface. While many members of the crew were killed in the attack, the captain escaped!
Nordlingen, The Town Inside A Meteorite Crater With Millions Of Meteorite Diamonds
The German town of Nördlingen is embedded with 72,000 tons of microscopic diamonds. About 15 million years ago, a meteorite hit this region, and the impact created a massive depression and formed rocks containing diamonds, glass, and crystals. The town was built in the impact crater sometime around 898 CE.
Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Amazonian Cities Using Lidar Technology
Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient network of urban settlements once inhabited by the Upano people about 2,000 years ago. Using cutting-edge lidar technology, these discoveries reveal a highly organized society featuring sophisticated agricultural systems, drainage canals, and extensive road networks. This transformative find challenges long-held assumptions about ancient Amazonian societies and sheds light on a complex civilization thriving in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
The incredible story of a plane that lost its roof in mid-flight and the light signal that saved 94 lives.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines flight 243 was on the way to Honolulu from Hilo when a huge portion of the upper part of the fuselage blew off the airplane.
Jack the Baboon operated a railroad, earned a living, and never made a mistake
A baboon worked as a signalman for the railroad in the late 1800s. He never made a mistake and worked for the railroad until the day he died.
The Littlest Skyscraper: How J.D. McMahon’s 480-Inch Con Fooled Investors in 1919
In 1919, J.D. McMahon convinced investors to fund a 480-foot skyscraper, but he labeled the plans as 480 inches, building a 40-foot structure instead. After taking $200,000, he won in court since the plans matched what he built.
Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared
Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of "first and sole inventor of cinema," even taking Le Prince's son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances.
Underground Railroad to Mexico freed thousands of slaves in 1829
Slavery was abolished in Mexico in 1829. Slaves were escaping to Mexico, and slaveholders in the US were aware of this. The US attempted to get Mexico to sign a fugitive slave treaty, which would have required Mexico to send back escaped slaves to the US. But, Mexico refused, arguing that slaves were free as soon as they set foot on Mexican soil.
How Cleveland's Balloonfest in 1986 Turned Into a Public Tragedy
In Cleveland, Ohio, United Way broke the world record by deflating nearly 1.5 million balloons as part of a publicity stunt to raise money. The balloon obstructed a US Coast Guard search for two boaters who were subsequently discovered to have drowned, blocked airport runways, and blocked land and waterways.
Tunnels Dug by ancient giant sloths, A South American Megafauna
For years, scientists didn’t know what caused mysterious cave networks in South America. In 2010, they learned that the caves were actually tunnels dug by ancient giant sloths
Moondyne Joe: The story of Australia's most notorious prison escapee
A man named Joseph Bolitho Johns (A.K.A Moondyne Joe) broke out of Australian prisons so many times that the police were compelled to build a special cell just for him. He escaped from that as well.
how Ferris wheel invented
In 1891, Chicago challenged engineers to create a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower for the World's Columbian Exposition. George Washington Gale Ferris jr. responded with the original Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating structure elevating visitors above the city. This invention became an iconic attraction at the fair.
Terry Fox, a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 143 days before dying
Terry Fox was a 21-year-old one-legged cancer patient who ran 3,339 miles across Canada in 143 days before dying.
