What almost every household takes for granted, is actually a modern invention.  The toaster was invented in 1893 by Alan MacMasters, a Scotsman born in Edinburg. Like many other inventions, the toaster was invented quite by accident.  MacMasters was actually working on a lighting system, but the wires became so hot that they “toasted” the bread sitting next to them.  His “Eclipse Toaster” was the first toaster to be commercially sold.

Humans have been hitting various balls with sticks for thousands of years and all over the globe.  The over-arching game of golf, hit a ball to a goal with the least tries, has been “invented” by humans simultaneously multiple times.  But modern golf can be attributed to Scotland because of a major difference in the play.  Namely, the hole and precisely 18 of them.  There is contention that the Dutch played a major part in the development of the game and it is believed by many that modern golf is a Scottish adaptation from the Dutch game of “colve/colf”.  

The first mention of golf is in 1457 when King James II of Scotland prohibited the game so people would continue their archery practice.  It was so much more fun to go out in the fields (links) and play golf.

Today’s rules are commonly known as the Leith Rules and the original text is kept at the National Library of Scotland. 

Who would have thought, pushing heavy stones over ice would make it to the world stage?  The earliest evidence of curling was found when a pond was drained in Dunblane, Scotland.  Two curling stones were extracted dated 1511 and 1551.  

Evidence has also been found of curling in the low countries (today’s Belguim, Netherland and Luxemburg) where the Scottish traded and had many cultural ties. 

The very first curling club was formed in 1716 out of Kilsyth, Scotland. The Royal Caledonian Curling Club (originally formed in 1838) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as creating the first official rules.

Curling has been an Olympic sport since 1998 and is played all over the world.

Highland cattle are know for their wavy and woolly double coats and long horns.  Although they are small in stature (males 3.5 to4 feet, females 3 to3.5  feet) they are quite heavy with the males weighing in around 1800 lbs.  Their coats allow them to survive in rugged climates and they eat many plants that other cattle avoid.  Originally, small   farmers kept Highland cattle for milk and meat as well as clothing, their hair spun into yarn.  Although most cattle belong to a herd, a group of Highland cattle are called a "fold" referring to the 

open stone shelters highland cattle were kept in.

There is some debate about their actual origins, although according to Advances in Parasitology by J.R. Baker and R. Muller (1982) the highland cow is a descendant of the Hamilton Longhorn which arrived in Scotland sometime after 2000 BC.  

Highland cattle have been imported all over the world as the Scottish immigrated. 

Sherlock Holmes

Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Born 1859 in Edinburgh Scotland.

Doyle's works have been translated 2,496 times throughout the world, the fourteenth most translated author.* 

Peter Pan

Written by J.M. Barrie

Born 1860 in Angus, Scotland

Treasure Island

&

Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde

Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

Born 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland

His works have been translated 2,041 times and he is the 26th most translated author in the world*. 

Prior to the accidental discovery of Penicillin in 1928, many people died from bacterial infections such as pneumonia, strep throat and scarlet fever.  All that would change when Alexander Fleming, a physician and microbiologist from Ayrshire, Scotland, would notice a strange phenomenon after returning to his laboratory from vacation.  

Prior to leaving, Fleming had left inoculated staphylococci culture plates out in his lab.  Upon his return, Fleming noticed an encroaching fungus on one of the plates.  Where the fungus was, the staphylococci colonies were destroyed.  

It would take over ten years and the combined work of Howard Florey and Norman Heatley who would ultimately travel to the U.S. to make penicillin a household name and change how infectious diseases were treated worldwide.