In the 1930s and 1940s, Austrian-born actress Hedy Lamarr gained fame in the United States for her stunning looks and acting talent. Her career skyrocketed after starring in a Czechoslovakian film that featured a nude bathing scene, which caused a worldwide scandal and made her an international star. However, Hedy was not just a glamorous actress; she was also a brilliant inventor.
During World War II, she co-patented a revolutionary system designed to control torpedoes remotely, enhancing military technology. Additionally, she developed “frequency hopping” technology — an innovative method to prevent radio signals from being intercepted — which laid the groundwork for modern wireless communications like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Interestingly, her face is even featured on the splash screen of the popular vector graphics editor CorelDRAW. Hedy Lamarr’s story is a fascinating example of how beauty and brains can combine to create lasting impact beyond Hollywood.
