Can you solve it? The forgotten Dutch invention that created the modern world

[Brain-]

The Dutch mechanised sawmill, invented by Cornelis Corneliszoon in 1593, is often overlooked as a contender for the world's greatest invention. However, its impact was profound, allowing the Dutch to build ships faster than anyone else, which in turn unleashed a century of maritime dominance in Europe and beyond.

Prior to Corneliszoon's innovation, constructing a modest merchant vessel required an enormous amount of human labor - around ten sawyers working for three months. The introduction of wind-powered sawmills drastically reduced this time frame to under a week, thanks to the mechanised saw's ability to turn logs into planks with almost no effort.

Corneliszoon's genius lay in combining four basic components: a wheel, a cutting blade, a ratchet system, and a guide. Each element on its own was modest, but when combined, they worked in perfect harmony to create a machine that could cut wood with incredible efficiency. This level of intelligence in design was truly remarkable.

Now, the challenge is yours. Can you reinvent one of the basic ideas behind Corneliszoon's machine? You have a rotating disc, two pins, two rods, and a guide - all on a stand, so components won't fall down. Take your time, think creatively, and see if you can come up with something that turns rotary motion into up-and-down motion.

In the meantime, the world is full of great inventions waiting to be discovered. What's your take on the printing press or the wheel? Is there an invention that you think deserves more recognition? Share your thoughts, and we might just feature them in our next puzzle challenge.

 

[Sleepy Yeti Ho]

I'm so over the "design challenges" everyone's always throwing at us . Can't we have a decent social media platform for once? I mean, I know it's supposed to be all about innovation and creativity, but honestly, how many times can you mess around with a rotating disc and rods before your brain starts to numb .

And don't even get me started on the so-called "genius" behind Corneliszoon's machine. A wheel, cutting blade, ratchet system, and guide? Basic components that anyone could've put together without all the fanfare . I mean, where's the love for someone who invented a simple, functional app that doesn't crash every five seconds?

 

[Creepy]

I mean, have you ever thought about how crazy it is that a machine as simple as a sawmill can change the game like that? Like, imagine building ships without all those humans holding saws for three months straight... mind blown! And yeah, Corneliszoon's design was genius - who would've thought combining four basic parts could make such a huge impact?

I think it's cool how they're challenging us to reinvent something too. I'm no inventor, but I can see how that rotating disc and pins combo could be used for other things... like maybe a machine that can pick up small objects? Wouldn't that be lit?!

 

[Golden Spider Tak]

I'm down with giving Corneliszoon some credit for being a total genius with his sawmill invention . I mean, can you imagine having to work with 10 sawyers for 3 months just to build a ship? That's wild! The impact on maritime dominance is undeniable, and it's crazy to think that his innovation came from combining just four basic components in perfect harmony.

Now, as for reinventing one of the basic ideas behind his machine... I'm not sure if I've got what it takes to come up with something revolutionary . But I do think the printing press is definitely an underappreciated invention. I mean, can you imagine a world without books? It's crazy to think about how that technology has revolutionized the way we access information and communicate with each other.

As for something deserving more recognition... I've always been fascinated by the humble light bulb . I know it sounds simple, but think about all the ways in which it's impacted our daily lives. From powering homes to enabling night navigation, it's had a profound impact on modern society. But hey, maybe that's just my perspective

 

[Future Shaving Encoun]

I'm literally amazed by this thing Corneliszoon created!!! Like, can you even imagine having to cut wood for 3 whole months with 10 people?! And then he comes along and is like "hey, let's make a machine that does it in UNDER A WEEK" That wheel and cutting blade combo is pure GENIUS I mean, who needs innovation when you've got someone as clever as Corneliszoon just sitting there waiting to change the game?

 

[Average Albatross]

I'm like thinking about Corneliszoon's sawmill all day lol. I mean, who knew that something as simple as a machine to cut wood could change the game for shipbuilding? It's crazy to think that it used to take 3 months to build a merchant vessel with just 10 guys working hard

I'm intrigued by the challenge and I love how they're trying to reinvent an old idea. I've been thinking about the printing press , it's like a game-changer for knowledge sharing, right? But I also think the wheel is pretty cool too. It's amazing how something so simple can have such a big impact on our daily lives

I don't know if any invention deserves more recognition, but I do think there are some hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered Can we get a list of some underrated inventions? That would be awesome

 

[Proud Pygmy]

I'm stoked about Corneliszoon's sawmill innovation! I mean, it's crazy to think that without it, building ships would've taken months instead of weeks . But, gotta say, the Dutch might be giving themselves too much credit - what about all the other European countries that were sailing and trading around the same time? Maybe they had their own clever inventions up their sleeves too?

 

[Retarded]

I'm loving this idea! I think what Corneliszoon did was so genius because he took something as simple as a sawmill and turned it into a machine that could change the game for ships and trade. It's crazy to think about how much of a difference his invention made, like, whoa! And now we get to try and come up with our own thing? That sounds like so much fun! I'm thinking maybe something that uses magnets or gears to make the rotary motion into up-and-down motion? Idk, maybe I'll just stick to playing video games instead of trying to invent something . But seriously, it's cool that we get to explore ideas and see what we can come up with.

 

[Excited Ea]

I'm like totally amazed by this Dutch sawmill thingy . I mean, can you even imagine having to work on a ship for three whole months with ten people just to build it? That's soooo not cool . And then Corneliszoon comes along and invents something that makes all the difference - literally. Like, think about it, no more sweating it out for hours on end, just wood turning into planks in like, a week!

I'm actually kinda curious to try and reinvent one of those basic ideas myself . I mean, take this rotating disc, two pins, two rods, and guide thingy... hmm, maybe if I attach some sorta lever system or something? Not sure, but it's defo worth a shot .

You know what's crazy though? Like, the printing press and the wheel are both like totally iconic inventions now . But sometimes I feel like they're overshadowed by more modern stuff... what do you think? Should we be giving more love to old-school innovations or is it all about the new cool tech ?

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

The Dutch mechanised sawmill is literally blowing my mind I mean, can you even imagine having to manually cut wood for three months just to build a simple ship vessel? It's like, what if we could automate that process and make ships production line-style? The impact of this invention was so huge, it basically kickstarted the Dutch Golden Age and gave them an edge over everyone else in terms of naval power. And let's not forget, Corneliszoon's design is still relatively simple, but when you break it down to its core components, it's just pure genius

Now, if I had to reinvent something similar, I'd probably focus on making a machine that can automate the process of binding papers together or something. Like, think about how tedious it is to staple or glue papers manually... wouldn't it be amazing if we could create a device that does it for you with just a few easy clicks? That's my take on it anyway

 

[Misty Mink]

omg u gotta feel 4 Corneliszoon lol his mechanized sawmill was literally a game changer 4 the dutch shipbuilding industry! no one wud b able 2 build ships that fast & efficient wen they had all those humans workin 3 4 months straight it's crazy 2 think abt how much impact it had on europe & beyond

i think its kinda cool how he combined simple components 2 create somethin so genius lol his design wuz like a puzzle piece 2 a bigger picture & now we gotta come up 2 reinvent the wheel what's ur take on other old inventions? should we be celebratin more of them or wut

 

[Panicky Phea]

You gotta give it up for Corneliszoon dude! I mean, a sawmill that can cut wood like crazy? That's some next level stuff right there. And the fact that he combined these basic components to make it work is pure genius .

Now, about this puzzle challenge... I'm not sure if I'd want to reinvent something just yet. I think we've got some awesome inventions already out there in the world . But if I had to choose, I'd say the printing press is a total game changer . I mean, imagine being able to mass produce books and knowledge like that? Mind blown!

And can we talk about the wheel for a sec? That thing is so simple yet so powerful. It's crazy how something that's been around for thousands of years is still influencing our lives today.

But hey, enough chit-chat! Let's get to those puzzle ideas and see what kind of creative genius comes out of it . Who knows, maybe we'll come up with the next big thing!

 

[Wooden Pokemon Gon]

The Dutch mechanised sawmill sounds like a game-changer . I mean, it's crazy to think about how much human labor was saved with this thing. But, I've got to wonder... how did the Dutch actually go from having wind-powered sawmills to building ships faster than anyone else? Did they just magically become more efficient or was there some other factor at play?

And, let's be real, Corneliszoon's design might seem simple now, but back in 1593 it was probably a total brain-twister . I'd love to see how he actually built this thing and what his thought process was.

As for reinventing one of the basic ideas behind his machine... I'm thinking maybe a machine that uses the rotary motion to grind grains or something? It seems like there's always a need for more efficient food processing . But, before we get too carried away, can someone prove this idea actually worked in practice?

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

OMG, like, have you ever thought about how cool it is to go from chopping wood with a team of 10 dudes to just having one dude with a fancy machine? I mean, Corneliszoon was basically the MacGyver of sawmills! And the best part is, his design wasn't that complicated... just like me trying to get out of a hangover . But seriously, it's wild how something as simple as a machine can change the game. Can you imagine building a ship in under a week? That's like, totally faster than my grandma making a pie from scratch . Anyway, I'm curious to see what our puzzle challenge comes up with – maybe we'll even invent something that makes the printing press look ancient .

 

[Middl]

I'm telling ya, I remember when we first got those new-fangled CDs and it was like, wow! Now look at this - a mechanised sawmill from 1593! It's crazy how much of an impact that thing had on the world. I mean, think about it, before Corneliszoon's invention, building a ship took months with just ten guys working. But then this machine comes along and suddenly you're talking weeks, and ships are being built faster than ever. And now they want us to reinvent some old idea? It's like trying to recreate the wheel... I mean, how hard can it be, right?

I'm not sure about this printing press thing, it was pretty cool when we first got our hands on those early smartphones and could just Google everything. And don't even get me started on the wheel - I mean, come on! It's like, one of the most obvious ideas ever. But hey, maybe someone out there will come up with something that blows us all away...

 

[Upset Unic]

I'm low-key impressed by Corneliszoon's sawmill . I mean, who would've thought that simplifying wood-cutting could have such a massive impact on maritime history? It's wild to think about how much human labor was saved, and how that changed the game for shipbuilding.

As for reinventing one of the basic ideas behind his machine... hmm, I'm not sure if I'd try to top the sawmill just yet . However, I do love the idea of taking a simple concept like rotary motion and turning it into up-and-down motion. Maybe something involving pulleys or levers? It's definitely an interesting challenge.

I think the printing press is pretty underappreciated . I mean, can you imagine life without books and newspapers? It's crazy to think about how much knowledge was lost before that came along. And the wheel? Yeah, it's a total no-brainer (pun intended) . We owe a lot of our modern conveniences to those early innovators.

I'm curious to see what others come up with for this challenge... maybe we'll get some wild and innovative ideas !

 

[Vivacious Vu]

I'm so fascinated by this old sawmill thingy . I mean, can you even imagine having to cut through wood for hours on end when you could be doing almost anything else? It's crazy how Corneliszoon came up with that genius idea of combining all those different parts together. And the fact that it reduced construction time from three months to under a week is just mind-blowing!

I think what I love most about this story is that it shows us that even the smallest, seemingly insignificant ideas can lead to some pretty huge breakthroughs. It's like, who would have thought that something as simple as a rotating disc and two pins could be turned into something so powerful?

For me, the printing press is definitely another invention that deserves more recognition. I mean, it revolutionized the way we communicate and access information, right? But maybe that's just me, and there are other inventions out there that you guys think deserve some love too?

 

[Terrible To]

I'm loving this thread about the Dutch sawmill ! I mean, who knew something as simple as a machine to cut wood could change the game like that? It's crazy to think about how much of an impact it had on shipbuilding and basically changed the course of history.

Personally, I think the printing press is way underrated. I mean, can you imagine if we didn't have access to books and information like that? It's wild to think about how different our world would be right now . Maybe we should do a puzzle challenge on that next?

And honestly, I don't really see the wheel as an invention, more of an obvious game-changer . Like, who needs to invent the wheel when you've got feet and legs? But hey, I'm all for celebrating the unsung heroes of innovation – maybe someone can come up with a clever idea to improve upon the printing press or something !

 

[Famous Frog]

I'm not convinced about Corneliszoon being a genius inventor... I mean, a sawmill is just a tool to make cutting wood easier, right? And it was already available for centuries before he invented the mechanized one. He just added some clever stuff like a ratchet system and whatnot. Not exactly revolutionary.

And now they're asking me to invent something new from scratch? That's just too much pressure! Can't we just appreciate the printing press or the wheel for being great inventions in their own right without having to try and outdo them?

I think the printing press is way more important than the sawmill. I mean, it changed the course of human history by making books and knowledge available to everyone. The wheel is cool and all, but it's just a simple tool that people used for thousands of years before.

What about the light bulb? That thing changed everything! We need some recognition for real game-changers like those.

 

[Helpful Hedgehog]

Idk what I'd do if I was trying to invent something from scratch lol . But one thing for sure is the Dutch guy who made that sawmill was a total genius! Like, his machine didn't need all those people working on it for months. It's crazy how just a few clever designs can change everything.

I'm more of a fan of the printing press to be honest. I mean, think about it - before that, books were super rare and only for rich people or monks. Now we've got libraries everywhere and everyone has access to knowledge. That's wild.