The zero and chess are well known India’s contributions to the world, but here are some of the many lesser-known modern inventions by Indians that are making the world a better — and more colourful — place to live in.
Painting the town blue
Invention: YinMn Blue
Inventor: Mas Subramanian, professor of materials science, Oregon State University
Chennai-born Mas Subramanian and his team accidentally created a vivid new blue that has been described as “near perfect” while testing the electronic properties of manganese oxide. It’s a mix of Yttrium, Indium and Manganese.
What’s unique: Safe to produce, has no carcinogens, is environmentally benign, remains stable at high temperatures, doesn’t fade, and is now commercially available as paint.
Ride on plastic
Invention: Plastic roads
Inventor: Dr R Vasudevan, dean, Thiagarajar College of Engineering in Madurai
Plastic is usually considered a bane, but a chemistry professor found a way to use old
plastic to lay roads that last longer. In 2006, Vasudevan patented a road-laying process that involves sprinkling shredded plastic waste over hot gravel, coating the stones in a thin film of plastic, and then adding the plastic-coated stones to regular molten tar and laying the road.
What’s unique: Lasts longer and brings down road-laying maintenance costs by 50% as plastic does not allow water to permeate into the road.
Manu's microscope
Invention: Paper microscope