Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
discover, invent (vv.)
It used to be argued that these two words were mutually exclusive in meaning: you could discover what was unknown but there all along; you could invent only what had not existed heretofore. Today the two words are sometimes interchangeable. Invent can be followed only by a noun as direct object: They invented a biodegradable plastic. Discover can also be used in such structures, but it can be followed as well by a phrase with how to or a clause: During their research they discovered [invented] a biodegradable plastic. They discovered that the stream was not polluted. Charles Goodyear discovered how to vulcanize rubber.
