Welcome to 1001 Inventions – an award-winning UK science and cultural heritage organisation, engaging over 450 million people around the world.

Feature Stories

Must Read books from 1001 Inventions

‘Must Read’ books from 1001 Inventions

World Book Day is a yearly event first week of March, "designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world"*. On this occasion we highlight important 'must read books' from 1001 Inventions.

The Rise of an Industry: Papermaking

The Rise of an Industry: Papermaking

Paper, originally, was brought from China into Muslim Civilisation. From an art, Muslim Civilisation developed it into a major industry. Paper mills flourished across the Muslim World. The impact of Muslim Civilisations manufacture of paper helped paved the way for the printing revolution.

Rise of Glass Industry in Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation

Rise of Glass Industry in Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation

From Ibn Al-Haytam’s optical lenses to a mosque lamp of Amir Qawsun, Muslim Civilisation played a major role in inspiring the growth of the glass industry. Mosques, houses and cities were transformed into centres of rich decoration with glass. Muslim Civilisation turned a craft into an industry, employing large numbers of workers.

Star-Finders Astrolabes

Star-Finders Astrolabes

Over a thousand-year period in Muslim Civilisation, epoch-making discoveries such as the first record of a star system outside our own galaxy were made, and astronomical instruments were developed laying the foundation for modern-day astronomy. These included celestial globes, armillary spheres, sextants and astrolabes.

Rediscovering a Lost History - Radio Interview with Glen Cooper

Rediscovering a Lost History – Radio Interview with Glen Cooper

Professor Glen Cooper discusses the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation. During the European Dark Ages, when science, art and literature seemed to flounder for centuries, there actually was a lot of discover in places like Iraq, Persia and Syria. Professor Cooper explains how science of medicine, mathematics and astronomy flourished.

Stories - 5 Amazing Mechanical Devices from Muslim Civilisation

5 Amazing Mechanical Devices from Muslim Civilisation

Fully automated environmentally friendly water raising devices, pumps, windmills and more! Discover some of the most facinating devices from the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation that brought creative innovative ideas helping to drive agriculture and industries from southern Spain to China.

The Islamic Roots of Modern Pharmacy by David W Tschanz

The Islamic Roots of Modern Pharmacy by David W Tschanz

Along the road from sympathetic magic and shamanism to scientific method, much trailblazing was carried out over a few centuries by scholars, alchemists, physicians and polymaths of the Muslim Middle East, and their rules, procedures and expectations are, to a great extent, practiced almost universally today.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Vikings And Muslim Civilisation

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Vikings And Muslim Civilisation

Last year news regarding the discovery of a ring found on a Viking woman with the inscription 'To Allah' erupted in the media. Some named it the “mysterious ring”, some actively debated and made up theories of how or why it arrived in Sweden. It is worth noting however that this was not the only contact documented between the Viking and Muslim Civilisation.