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Discovery and Invention

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Introduction

Generally, discovery is recognizing or finding something that already exists for the first time that nobody had even heard about or found before, e.g. how Christopher Columbus discovered America. On the other hand, an invention is creating or forming something totally new with one's own ideas, knowledge, interest, and development and hence inventions are considered unique always.


Definition

Discovery: A discovery is a process of identifying and recognizing something that already exists, for the first time, that nobody has ever found before.


E.g., how Christopher Columbus discovered America.


Invention: An invention is, on the other hand, a process of creating something totally new and unique with one's own ideas and development.


Discovery and invention have come a long way, and students have often been confused between the two. However, you should note that there is a significant difference between invention and discovery. To understand the difference, it is vital to have a prior understanding of the terms individually.


Although both these terms, discovery and invention, indicate bringing of something new in the limelight or forefront, they differ at their grassroots. You have to understand the relevant points of distinction in order to delve deeper into their individual concepts. 


Besides, make sure you are aware of the proper example for both of these terms. It will help you in clearing your doubts properly. Examples have always served a vital purpose when it comes to understanding a specific concept.


How Do You Differentiate Between Discovery and Invention?

To understand what is the difference between invention and discovery, examples are the simplest methods. However, it is important to understand the terms from their grassroots so that you can develop a better understanding of the advanced concepts.

 

Here is a Table for Showcasing the Difference Between Discovery and Invention for Your Convenience -

Sl. No. 

Invention

Discovery 


Experiments lead to invention.

Exploring the world around us leads to discovery.


The act involves creating something new.

The act involves finding something that existed before.


The invention can be patented under the name of an entity.

The discovery of an item cannot be patented.


It involves a creative process which finally leads to the result.

It occurs as a result of accidents or by chance. 

 

Here, the above table shows the difference between invention and discovery. Students need to go through these points thoroughly for a better understanding.

 

For more information on invention and discovery difference, you can look into our online programs. These are drafted by eminent faculties and you can develop your understanding to a new height.

 

So, get your study lessons and boost your preparation right away. You may also download our Vedantu app for advanced learning.


Conclusion

Topics like invention-discovery differences, where they are almost similar and are often confused, should be dealt with examples. It will not only help in clearing the doubts but also help students in building the foundation for each topic.


FAQs on Discovery and Invention

1. Is there any difference between creation and invention?

Creation is purely a form of an artefact that has been brought into existence by some artists which can be followed by other people or admired by everyone. On the other hand, an invention is the creation or making of something new with the help of one's own mind. People who brought these products or services into existence can be termed inventors as they transformed an innovative idea into something tangible that can be useful for others.

2. How do the terms research and discovery vary from each other?

In simple terms, research can be explained as an action, while discovery is the result of any process. You actually discover something because you do extensive research about that when you try to get into a particular track to learn more about what you believe. Research is the process and discovery is the end-product. To name a few more differences, research can be extremely complex and diversified and discovery is simple but yet another variant where one needs to put all his mental effort and time to actually discover something which is not into existence yet.

3. Why are inventions and discoveries important for our lives?

Inventions improve our lives in many possible ways. They make our daily routine tasks easier, entertain us, improve our knowledge of the world around us, and even save lives at critical times. Inventions will definitely make your life easier, better, or simply more fun. There are many useful discoveries as well. If you look around you from the time you or your parents were actually born until now, there are millions of new inventions and discoveries that have made our lives easier and more effective.

4. What is an invention and how is this important to society?

Over time, it has been possible to verify that each invention activates a variety of benefits for the inventor and highly benefits society as well. It stimulates the inventor’s imagination, develops their potential when it comes to overcoming any personal or social barriers, allows the ability to visualise out of the box, stimulates perception, provokes new thoughts and new questions, and encourages them not to settle for anything less than the desired results.

5. Can you mention some of the greatest discoveries in the science field?

Five main discoveries that always excites and astonishes the world will always be 

  • Artificial Intelligence enables the machine to learn and build a process where more information can be stored than we humans could store.

  • Medical imaging is an essential tool for clinical analysis with the discovery of X-Rays to MRI scans to learn and diagnose what is the actual problem with the body behind the skin.

  • Antibiotics revolutionised the medical industry by helping diagnose many diseases like tuberculosis, cancer, etc., with the most recent medicines and vaccinations.

  • The internet is the most incredible and useful invention as it had a huge impact in the physics and engineering field by connecting many great scientists across the globe and allowing them to share information and research more easily and effectively.

  • DNA has helped a lot in the medical development and many serious treatments and has also transformed the way we solve crime scenes.

6. What is an invention?

The invention is the act of creating something entirely new with the help of results obtained from repeated experiments.

7. What is discovery?

The discovery of an item is the process of exploring the world around us and finding something out of an accident.

8. What is the difference between invention and discovery?

The difference between invention and discovery is that the former is entirely created, such as the telephone. The latter is found, even though it already existed in some form or the other, such as new plant species.