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James Watt
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<p>James Watt <a href="/facts/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society/cWs8TdC5">FRS</a> <a href="/facts/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society_of_Edinburgh/6T9ftn3H">FRSE</a> was a Scottish <a href="/facts/Invention/P3LdUHBY">inventor</a>, <a href="/facts/Mechanical_engineer/cbId4fye">mechanical engineer</a>, and <a href="/facts/Chemist/N09K7Bdm">chemist</a> who improved on <a href="/facts/Thomas_Newcomen/29cvHymJ">Thomas Newcomen</a>'s 1712 <a href="/facts/Newcomen_steam_engine/fMyUAQjk">Newcomen steam engine</a> with his <a href="/facts/Watt_steam_engine/FYzx2z2D">Watt steam engine</a> in 1776, which was fundamental to the changes brought by the <a href="/facts/Industrial_Revolution/B6E3Fasm">Industrial Revolution</a> in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world. </p><p>While working as an instrument maker at the <a href="/facts/University_of_Glasgow/D0XAYMtq">University of Glasgow</a>, Watt became interested in the technology of <a href="/facts/Steam_engine/f7hN8vzm">steam engines</a>. At the time engineers such as <a href="/facts/John_Smeaton/ylvEax8g">John Smeaton</a> were aware of the inefficiencies of Newcomen's engine and aimed to improve it. Watt's insight was to realise that contemporary engine designs wasted a great deal of energy by repeatedly cooling and reheating the <a href="/facts/Cylinder_(engine)/XlMRcfFl">cylinder</a>. Watt introduced a design enhancement, the <a href="/facts/Watt_steam_engine/FYzx2z2D">separate condenser</a>, which avoided this waste of energy and radically improved the power, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of steam engines. Eventually, he <a href="/facts/Rotative_beam_engine/pwzXufl7">adapted his engine</a> to produce rotary motion, greatly broadening its use beyond pumping water. </p><p>Watt attempted to commercialise his invention, but experienced great financial difficulties until he entered a partnership with <a href="/facts/Matthew_Boulton/VSzSaGFD">Matthew Boulton</a> in 1775. The new firm of <a href="/facts/Boulton_and_Watt/AhFs7MVo">Boulton and Watt</a> was eventually highly successful and Watt became a wealthy man. In his retirement, Watt continued to develop new inventions though none was as significant as his steam engine work. </p><p>As Watt developed the concept of <a href="/facts/Horsepower/jRMwmIxA">horsepower</a>, the <a href="/facts/SI/NShmfzlD">SI</a> unit of power, the <a href="/facts/Watt/VK8oqRrm">watt</a>, was named after him. </p>