It’s no secret that Hedy Lamarr and eccentric aviation tycoon Howard Hughes were romantically involved, but many aren’t aware that their true connection was based on their love of invention. Hughes appreciated her mind, giving her complete access to his team of scientists to help her execute any of her inventions. Lamarr said that Hughes relied on her. She thought his airplanes were “too slow” so she designed a new wing shape for his planes, inspired by a book on fish and birds, to make them more aerodynamic. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Lamarr’s pre-war inventions.
