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Actress Hedy Lamarr Developed a Missile Guidance System

Fri, 08/17/2012 - 09:20
Submitted by Carlin Ross

Austrian-born Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr stared in movies with Clark Gable, Judy Garland, and Bob Hope. She was declared the "most beautiful woman in the world" and she was one of MGM’s best actresses. But I bet you didn't know that Hedy was a scientist.

Hedy and composer George Antheil developed and patented a system originally designed to guide missiles in WWII. Using radio technology and perforated slips of paper to align the frequency switches, they developed technology that could have saved hundreds of soldiers lives during WWII. The basic concepts of her discovery are used today in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and almost all wireless technology today.

So why isn’t Hedy more famous for her intellectual achievements? Our government decided that this invention was useless. When she tried to join the National Inventors Counsel, she was told that her time was better spent selling war bonds.

Just because it was developed by a woman it was nonsense. Misogyny has robbed our culture of so much.

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Hedy Lamarr

Fri, 08/17/2012 - 11:05
Patrick_R

I have author Richard Rhodes' biographical account of Hedy Lamarr's and George Antheil's invention. It's well worth reading---my wife is now immersed in it and enjoying it. Lamarr and Antheil were partners in pioneering a technology now used all around the world, called 'frequency hopping spread spectrum'. This technology's current forms are why, if I remember correctly, there can be millions of mobile phones that can all operate at the same time without interfering with one another---very important stuff in today's world. She had an interesting life: a renowned actress, and a Jewish woman whose first husband was a munitions maker who supplied arms to the Nazis. While not a full biography, Rhodes' book gives a great deal of interesting information on Lamarr's life. She was, finally, honored in old age for her achievements.

Heddy Lamar

Sat, 08/18/2012 - 18:50
someguy25 (not verified)

I have known this for years. It is not as secret.

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