Have you heard the story of the kettle? According to this story, when Watt was young, he saw the water boiling in the pot on the stove. The steam lifted the lid and Watt was inspired. When he grew up, he invented the steam engine and became a famous inventor. This story was told in my primary school textbook, which made people who went to primary school in China think that the steam engine was invented by Watt.

I always thought so before I went to college, but in fact, a century before Watt invented the steam engine (1789), the Frenchman Papen had invented the steam engine that could be used for demonstration (1689). Later, a large steam engine made by Englishman newcomen converted thermal energy into mechanical energy, and it was widely used in coal mines all over Britain from 17 12. 1782 or so, Watt further improved the machine and accomplished two important inventions: in the middle of the cold work stroke, the steam inlet valve was closed to expand the steam to do work and improve the thermal efficiency; Make the steam do work on both sides of the piston (double-acting) to improve the output power. It has been widely used in industry. It can be seen that the steam engine was not invented by Watt, nor did it see the water boiling in the pot on the stove. Steam lifted the lid and was inspired. When he grew up, he invented the steam engine. He only made improvements on the basis of predecessors and improved the efficiency of the steam engine. Of course, he is also called "the father of the steam engine". I really don't know who made up the story in the primary school textbook. This man is so talented.

As mentioned above, as early as 1689, French Papon had invented a steam engine that could be used for demonstration. The cautious and poor gentleman devoutly applied to the Royal Society for a research grant of only 10 to change and improve his invention. However, the stingy Royal Society thinks that funding a naive idea is a waste of money. So a harsh condition that the explorer can't accept is put forward: the experiment can only succeed, and it is not allowed to fail. It is precisely because of the lack of tolerance that the opportunity of communication and communication is lost, the potential value of mistakes and even mistakes is ignored, and the opportunity for improvement, perfection and success is mercilessly deprived. In this way, the steam engine, which should have been born long ago, was delayed for a century because of its lack of tolerance!