ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

William Murdoch

William Murdoch was a really smart and important person who lived a long time ago. He was born in Scotland in 1754, which was a really long time ago before there were cars and airplanes like we have today.

William was very curious and loved to learn about new things. He was especially interested in science and engineering. When he was grown up, he became an engineer and worked for a man named James Watt. James Watt was also really important and invented a special machine that made steam power better.

William helped James Watt with his inventions and made some of his own too! He even made a special lamp that used gas instead of oil, which was a big deal because it was much safer and brighter. This lamp was used for street lighting, which made it easier to see at night.

William was also really important because he worked with a man named George Stephenson to build the very first steam locomotive that could move on rails. This was a really big deal back then because it made transportation faster and more efficient.

Overall, William Murdoch was a really smart and important person who made a lot of really cool inventions that helped make the world a better place.