Charles Gaines Writer and inventor
A successful writer, Gaines rode two huge waves in popular culture — creating the second one himself.
From This is True for 26 July 2026
invention
Inventors and big picture idea people not otherwise in another category.
Peter L.P. Dillon Color CCD inventor
The CCD was monochrome. Dillon made it color, and now it’s in your phone, and more.
From This is True for 3 May 2026
Peter Lynn Kite-maker
Lynn engineered by far the largest kite ever built, and successfully flew it.
From This is True for 19 April 2026
George E. Smith Electronic Photography Inventor
His work is on your phone, maybe your doorbell, and just about every spacecraft.
From This is True for 8 June 2025
Lenny Lipton 3D film innovator
Best known as the lyricist for “Puff the Magic Dragon” but should be known for pioneering film projection technology.
From This is True for 16 October 2022
Nick Holonyak Electrical engineer
Holonyak brought visibility to the light from LEDs — light-emitting diodes.
From This is True for 18 September 2022
Clayton Jacobson II Jet Ski inventor
Jacobson invented the personal watercraft as a “motorcycle for the water.”
From This is True for 28 August 2022
Reuben Klamer Toy inventor
“I decided I would invent. What I would invent, I didn’t know. Who I would sell it to, I didn’t know.”
From This is True for 19 September 2021
Aaron Brody Food technologist
Brody was wildly prolific in wildly different areas of food technology.
From This is True for 1 August 2021
Isamu Akasaki Blue physicist
Akasaki unlocked the path to making white LEDs: he made blue LEDs possible.
From This is True for 11 April 2021