Back in the 1980s the mobile phone was a phenomenon, expensive and something only “Yuppies” used. Today we exchange mobiles like we exchange currency, we take them for granted and perhaps even think, if at all, a major company such as Nokia or Ericson invented them. Actually the mobile phone was developed by the American military as a way for radio operators to keep in contact with HQ whilst in the Field without having to lug heavy radio backpacks around. It meant they could travel faster on foot and keep up with the front line troops. The Boffins who worked on the development of mobile phone technology didn’t earn anything more than their salaries. This happens to be true for many inventions which we tend to take for granted today. Here’s 11 of the many which earned their inventors Kudos rather than heaps of cash.

Invention #1 AK47 Rifle

The AK47 or Kalashnikov rifle is very simple to use, easy to assemble, robust and is the favourite weapon of choice for many armies, official and unofficial, throughout the world and especially in developing countries. So was the inventor an arms dealer who became a billionaire? No, Mikail Kalashnikov was a Soviet soldier who invented this popular weapon whilst recovering from injuries sustained in World War Two and claimed it was for the benefit of his country.