•  Curiosity:

We may not all invent something but our curiosity goes hand in hand with our imagination.  I believe that our curiosity is a natural behavior for learning.  It is the fuel that drives the mind.  Oh yes, my curiosity has got me into trouble a few times.  Yet, it is said that a curious person is never boring?

Curiosity is common to humans and some other animal species.  We tend to confuse these emotions sometimes with instincts.  Instincts are a fixed emotion as a need to seek out food,etc.  Strong curiosity and determination has motivated many scientists to succeed in their endeavor.

Curious people always ask questions.  Their minds are always active and this exercises the mind and makes it stronger.  Without curiosity, many great ideas would pass right on by.  Yes, it takes a curious mind to dig deep beneath the surface to discover new worlds and possibilities.

• Imagination:

Okay, stop and think about all the people that you know that are curious, well I bet they have a imagination that matches it. The basic training for imagination is listening. Of course we can touch, see and hear and we then combine all these elements into a picture, via our imagination.

Storytelling has fueled the imaginations of young and old in some form for thousands of years. Albert Einstein said, "Imagination---is more important than knowledge---knowledge is limited." Imagination is the key to new development of the mind and can be shared with others.

Imagination differs from fundamental belief. The difference between imagination and belief depends on religion, culture and traditions.

•  Invention:

Ask yourself, without Curiosity---Imagination, would there be Invention?  Invention consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thought about with added imagination.  "Make a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door."

An open curious mind will let one see beyond what is known.  Yes, inventors just think outside of the box.  Inventors just jump over the boundaries that are placed before them.  Inventors tend to play with things, much like a child would do.  Thomas A Edison said---I never did a day's work in my life, it was all fun."

Of course Inventing can also become an obsession and it can be full of risk, with an outcome that is uncertain.  If an inventor found a thousand ways that it would not  work, then he has not failed because that showed the steps forward.  Breaking rules have tumbled the barriers and created new inventions that make our lives much richer today.

Remember no one needed the Internet until it was invented.  We never imagined the telephone or the airplane prior to their inventions, but many people cannot live without the inventions today.  Art is continuously reinvented---" A man paints with his brains and not with his hands,"---Michelangelo.

No! my friends with out these three elements---Curiosity/Imaginations=Inventions we would not be sitting here and enjoying the many benefits that we have today.

Trivia Note:  NASA plans on sending a new rover to explore Mars in 2011 and the Rover has been appropriately named---CURIOSITY!!!!