A few years ago, I built a prototype electric bell based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. I wound a length of fine wire many times around two steel nails, turning them into simple electromagnets that would attract a metal strip, fixed at one end, whenever current from a battery was applied. As the strip moved towards the electromagnets, it broke the electrical circuit, causing the nails to lose their magnetism. Released from their grip, the strip sprang back to its original position, reconnecting the circuit and starting the entire cycle afresh.
Did it work? Thank heavens, it did. Watching the metal strip oscillate rapidly backwards and forwards was immensely satisfying. The upper end of the strip, which I had bent slightly into a curve, struck a small bell salvaged from an old bicycle. The entire assembly was mounted on a flat piece of wood.
I must admit that it looked—and still does—rather crude. It has not functioned for several years now, but I have kept it largely intact, apart from a few components that have fallen off over time, the bell being one of them. It sits somewhere in my office, where I often challenge visitors to guess what it is. Those with a technical background usually work it out without much difficulty, but others are often baffled by what appears to be nothing more than a curious collection of scrap.
It may indeed resemble a heap of junk, but it stands as a simple demonstration of how the fundamental principles of Physics can be put to practical use. To many people, science belongs exclusively in textbooks—something complex, abstract, and often bewildering, with little relevance to everyday life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, countless people mentally disengage the moment they discover that the subject under discussion is scientific in nature. If, however, you did not throw your hands up in despair when you began reading this article and have stayed with me this far, then you belong to that encouraging group of people who do not shy away from science.
If we are to become genuinely innovative in technology, we must return to the fundamentals of science. The crude apparatus I assembled would hardly attract a buyer in its present form, yet it serves as a stepping stone to something far greater. There is tremendous satisfaction in seeing something you have built from scratch actually work. That experience alone provides the confidence and motivation to attempt more ambitious projects. Equally important, such simple experiments provide invaluable insight into more advanced machines and inspire those who encounter them to think creatively and innovatively.
I have previously written about an experiment that a friend and I carried out while growing up at Nkhoma Mission. We wound insulated wire around a makeshift armature that we had fashioned from soft wood and positioned it between two magnets. When we passed an electric current through the armature, it spun furiously. We were absolutely delighted.
It is precisely these elementary experiences that many of our students miss today. Some imagine that they will simply wake up one morning and build a mobile phone or a digital decoder. It does not work that way. Progress is made one step at a time. Today, we have internal combustion engines powering countless vehicles and machines, but it was not always so. Long before them, a Scottish engineer by the name of James Watt (1736–1819) perfected the steam engine, an invention that helped usher in the Industrial Revolution. Enormous ships and railway locomotives were driven by steam, and these vessels became known simply as steamers—a name that found its way even into our own culture. I know one or two people called Sitima, a local adaptation of the word “steamer”.
I remain convinced that our students should be introduced to the basic workings of a steam engine. Only then can they fully appreciate the sophistication of the internal combustion engine and begin to develop the creativity needed not merely to maintain such machines, but eventually to improve upon them. Better still, students should be encouraged to build a simple steam engine themselves. Seeing such an engine spring into life through their own efforts would set them firmly on the path towards even greater achievements.
Searching within Malawi, it becomes evident that there are countless situations that could benefit enormously from simple innovations or thoughtful improvements to existing ideas. We should never despise humble beginnings or dismiss basic principles as beneath us. Every great technological achievement rests upon simple foundations. Seek ye first the basics of science, and the ability to innovate will be added unto you.