In this two-minute read, we look at some of the
milestone moments in British scientific history.

It’s
British Science Week this week so let’s celebrate the pioneering men and women
who have changed the world.

As
science buffs in Kent will undoubtedly know, Britain
has a long tradition of invention and discovery.

The
list of breakthroughs made on our shores is long and impressive. We couldn’t
possibly include them all here, so we’ve focused on six landmark moments.

Oxford
AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

There
are several Covid-19 vaccines (and we celebrate them all), but the formula
developed by Professor Sarah Gilbert and her team at Oxford University is
unique for many reasons. It is much cheaper to produce than other Covid jabs,
only requires standard refrigeration (making it easier to roll out), and can be
manufactured worldwide.

Penicillin

Scotsman
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin while working at St Mary’s Hospital in
Paddington, London, in 1928 – and changed the face of modern medicine. His
discovery led to the development of antibiotics, which have saved millions of
lives around the world.

The
first computer program

Mathematician
Ada Lovelace worked closely on developing the world’s first computer, the
“Analytical Engine”. During the 1840s, she wrote the algorithm for this machine
and hence is known as the world’s first computer programmer.

The
DNA helix

DNA
was discovered in the early 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that Cambridge
duo James Watson and Francis Crick identified its twisty double helix
structure. Their groundbreaking work paved the way for a host of scientific
breakthroughs in gene sequencing and forensics.

World
Wide Web

In
1989, English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee told his bosses at CERN in
Switzerland about a bright idea he had to improve information sharing. His
managers were lukewarm about the proposal, but Tim (now Sir Tim) pushed ahead
anyway and created the World Wide Web. His invention revolutionised the way we
communicate, shop, bank, and date.

The
steam engine

Devon-born
engineer Thomas Savery patented the first steam pump in 1698. Over the next century,
inventorsThomas Newcomen, James Watt, and Richard Trevithick all
came up with refined designs. In 1825, the first steam locomotive to haul
passengers on a public railway rattled its way along the Stockton and
Darlington Railway. Father and son team George and Robert Stephenson built it.

Our
team at CWB Property are boffin like experts when it comes to the
sweet science of helping people move successfully. Just don’t ask us about the
theory of relativity (Google it if you must, we had to).