An invention, the act of combining ideas or things in novel ways to create something that did not exist before. Since the first prehistoric stone tools, humans have lived in a world shaped by invention. In fact, the brain seems to be a natural inventor. As part of the act of perception, humans collect, organize, and manipulate incoming sensory information to create a dynamic and constantly updated model of the external world. The viability of such models lies in the fact that they serve as templates against which new experiences can be compared in order to rapidly identify potentially life-threatening anomalies. Such models also allow prediction of hazards.
One of the earliest and most literal examples of this modeling paradigm in action is the invention of writing in ancient Mesopotamia. Already around 8000 BC. Starting around 300 BC, small geometric clay models used to represent sheep and grain were kept in clay envelopes and used as inventory lists or to represent goods in barter. Over time, the token was pressed against the outside of the damp envelope and eventually flattened into a tablet. 3100 BC By 3000 BC, impressions had become abstract patterns marked on tablets with carved reeds. These glyphs, known today as cuneiform, were the first type of writing. And they changed the world.
Inventors do it for money. When Austrian chemist Auer von Welsbach developed his gas jacket in the 1880s, he gave gaslighting company shareholders (then threatened by new electric lights) a profit of 30 years.
Inventions are often unintentional. In the early 1890s, when American electric lighting entrepreneur Edward Atcheson was trying to invent man-made diamonds, a mixture of electrified coke and clay created super hard abrasive carborundum. Attempting to develop artificial quinine in the mid-19th century, British chemist William his Perkin called Cole, who was working on tar, instead created the first artificial dye, Tyrian, where he created purple. This later landed in Ehrlich's Petri dish. Evangelista Torricelli
Evangelista Torricelli
The inventor solves the puzzle. Evangelista Torricelli identified air pressure and invented the barometer while investigating why suction pumps only lift water about 9 meters (30 feet).
At the workshop of Johannes Gutenberg
At the workshop of Johannes Gutenberg
Inventions almost always bring about change. Paleolithic stone weapons enabled hunting and triggered the emergence of permanent top-down command structures. Introduced by Christopher Latham Sholes in the 1870s, the typewriter freed women from domestic chores and helped transform women's social status (and also increased divorce rates).
The more often ideas come together, the more often inventions are born. The rate of invention increased exponentially each time the exchange of ideas became easier after the invention of the printing press, telecommunications, computers and above all the Internet. Today, new fields such as data mining and nanotechnology You could be the inventor (or semi-intelligent software program) of a huge amount of "1 + 1 = 3" possibilities. As a result, the rate of innovation looks poised to increase dramatically in the coming decades.
Keeping up with the secondary outcomes of invention is becoming more difficult than ever as information and technology become more accessible to the general public. It's what billions of brains have been denied for thousands of years, each with their own innate ability to invent and innovate faster as a social institution. In some cases, as during the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, institutions face serious challenges from technology adoption that is not ready for legacy infrastructure. The only safe way to deal with the potentially devastating effects of an avalanche of inventions is for the brain to develop the new social processes needed to manage lasting change.
Invent immersive virtual worlds where innovative ideas can be safely tested before being applied.
Inventors are persistent. American inventor Thomas Edison tested thousands of materials before choosing bamboo to make the carbon filament for his light bulb, calling his work "1% inspiration and he's 99% perspiration." I expressed it. In his lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey, Edison's approach was to identify potential gaps in the market and fill them with inventions. "
coincidence and inspiration
The key to successful invention is often being in the right place at the right time. Christopher Latham Shoals and Carlos Glidden brought their invention to firearms manufacturer Remington just as the company's production lines were closing after the end of the American Civil War. A quick modification made Remington the first manufacturer of typewriters in the world.
Inventions developed for a specific purpose may be used in very different contexts. In medieval Afghanistan, someone invented leather hoops that hung from the sides of camels and used as kicks for mounting the animal. By 1066, the Normans had attached ropes to each side of the horse and invented the stirrup. Firmly anchored on their feet, the Norman Knights crushed opposing British infantry with the full weight of their spears and horses at the Battle of Hastings that year. The Normans won the battle and conquered England (they became today's Franco-Saxon hybrids).
One invention can influence another invention. The gas lighting manifold gave Edison the idea for the electrical grid. The perforated cards used to control the Jacquard loom, in the 1890 U.S. Census, inspired Herman Hollerith to invent his card punch to use tabs.
Accelerating pace of invention
carburetor
carburetor
Most notably, invention is primarily a "1 + 1 = 3" process, similar to the modeling activity of the brain, where concepts and techniques are combined for the first time and the result is greater than the sum of its parts. (B. Spray + Gasoline = Carburetor).
There are countless famous (and not-so-famous) inventions that deserve curiosity and surprise. Of course, the following list is by no means exhaustive, but it does offer a "best hits" list of past and present inventions that have sparked our imaginations and pushed us forward.
Adhesives/adhesives
Around 1750, the first glue patent was granted in England for glue made from fish.
Adhesive/Tape
Scotch tape, or cellophane tape, was invented in his 1930s by his 3M engineer Richard Drew, who plays the banjo.
aerosol spray can
The concept of aerosols began in 1790.
Agriculture related.
Learn the stories behind agricultural innovations, tractors, cotton grains, reapers, plows, plant patents and more.
Partner
Robot pet Aibo. Airbag
In 1973, a research team at General Motors invented the first automotive safety airbag, first offered as an option on Chevrolets.
balloon
Early history of balloons.
air brake
In 1868, George Westinghouse invented the air brake.
air conditioning
Willis Carrier ushered us into an air-conditioned comfort zone.
airship
The stories behind balloons, airships, dirigibles and zeppelins. Airplane/Aviation
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright invented a manned, powered aircraft and patented it as the "Flying Machine". Learn about other aviation-related innovations.
alcoholic beverage
Evidence of intentionally fermented beverages appears in the form of his mug of beer dated as early as the Neolithic.
alternating current
Charles Proteus Steinmetz developed a theory of alternating current that enabled the rapid expansion of the electrical industry.
Altimeter
An instrument for measuring perpendicular distances to a reference plane.
Aluminum foil - aluminum manufacturing process
The first mass-produced and widely used metal foil was made from tin. Tin foil was replaced with aluminum foil in 1910. Charles Martin Hall discovered an electrolytic process that produced aluminum cheaply, making the metal widely commercially available.
ambulance
The concept of an ambulance service originated in Europe with the Knights of St. John.
anemometer
In 1450, Italian artist and architect Leon Battista Alberti invented the first mechanical anemometer. An anemometer is a device that measures wind speed.
Answering machine
The history of answering machines. Antibody Labeling - Antigens and Antibodies
Joseph Burckhalter and Robert Seiwald invented the first practical and patented drug for labeling antibodies.
Preservative
Key figures behind the history and invention of preservatives.
apple computer
The Apple Lisa was the first home computer with a GUI or graphical user interface. Learn about the history of one of Apple's most famous home computers, the Apple Macintosh.
Aqualung
History of diving or diving equipment. arc emitter
In 1902 Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen invented the arc-hi emitter. Arc transmitters produced continuous radio waves, unlike all previous types of radio transmitters.
Archimedes screw
Invented by the ancient Greek scientist and mathematician Archimedes, the Archimedes screw is a machine for raising water.
armillary sphere
Miniature representations of the earth, moon, and planets in the form of globes, terrain models, and spheres have a long history.
artificial heart
Willem Korff invented both the first artificial heart and the first dialysis machine with an artificial kidney. asphalt
The history of roads, road construction and asphalt.
aspirin
In 1829, scientists discovered that a compound in willow called salicin was responsible for pain relief. However, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine in the 5th century BC BC, was the first to discover the pain-relieving properties of willow.
assembly line
Eli Olds invented the basic concept of the assembly line and Henry Ford refined it.
artificial grass
Wright and Faria of Monsanto Industries have patented an artificial turf-like playground, or Astroturf.
atari computer
An interesting history of video game consoles. ATM - cash machine
History of automated teller machines (ATMs).
atomic bomb
In 1939, Einstein and several other scientists told Roosevelt about the Nazis' efforts to build an atomic bomb in Germany. Shortly thereafter, the United States government launched the Manhattan Project, whose research produced the first atomic bomb.
atomic clock
The primary US time and frequency standard is the Cesium Fountain Atomic Clock developed at the NIST laboratory.
tape recording
Marvin Kamras invented the process and means of magnetic recording. automatic voting
Dr. Andy Hildebrand is the inventor of audio pitch correction software called Auto-Tune.
automatic monorail
Ronald Riley invented the automated, electrified monorail system.
Automatic door
In 1954, Dee Horton and Lou Hewitt invented the automatic sliding door.
car
The history of automobiles spans over 100 years. View the timeline of car development and discover who built the first gasoline engine.
stroller
The history of the pram or pram.
bakelite
Leo Hendrik Baekeland received a patent for "Method for producing insoluble products from phenol and formaldehyde". He set out to manufacture insulators, invented the first real plastic, and changed the world.
ballpoint pen
The ballpoint pen was invented by Ladislo Biro in 1938. Patent disputes intensified. Learn how Parker and Vic won the war.
ballistic missile
Ballistic missiles are one of many weapons systems that use rocket propulsion to deliver explosive warheads to targets. balloon and airship (airship)
History and patents of airships, balloons, dirigibles, airships and zeppelins.
balloon (toy)
The first rubber balloon was made by Professor Michael Faraday in 1824 for his hydrogen experiments.
pavement
Band-Aid® is a trademarked name for a product that Earl Dixon invented in his 1920s.
barcode
The first bar code patent was issued to Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver on October 7, 1952.
grill
In America, barbecue (or BBQ) originated in his late 19th-century western cattle drive. barbed wire
Don't Corral Me - All about the invention, development and use of barbed wire.
barbie doll
The Barbie doll was invented by Ruth Handler in 1959.
barometer
The barometer was invented by Evangelista Torricelli in 1643.
Bartholdi Fountain
The Bartholdi Fountain was designed by the same inventor as the Statue of Liberty.
baseball and baseball equipment
The evolution of the baseball bat has completely changed the sport. Modern baseball was invented by Alexander Cartwright. BASIC (code)
BASIC (Beginner's All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was invented in 1964 by John Kemeny and Tom Kurtz.
basketball
In 1891, James Naismith invented and named the game basketball.
Bathrooms (and related inventions)
History of ancient and modern plumbing around the world, including baths, toilets, flush toilets and sewage systems.
battery
The battery was invented by Alsandro Volta in 1800.
Beauty (and related inventions)
The history of beauty equipment such as dryers and curlers. History of cosmetics and hair care products.
bed
Yes, even beds have a rich history of invention. Find out more about waterbeds, murphy beds and other bed types.
beer
You can trace the beginning of beer well beyond the beginning of recorded time. Apparently, beer was the first alcoholic drink known to civilization. bell
Bells can be classified as idiophones, instruments that produce sound through the vibration of a resonating solid material, and more generally as percussion instruments. ”
drink
The history and origin of the drinks and the equipment used to make them.
mixer
Stephen Poplawski invented the kitchen blender.
big pen
Learn about the history of the Bic Pen and other writing instruments.
cycle
The history of foot power riding machines.
bifocal
Benjamin Franklin is credited with developing the first eyeglasses to help both nearsighted and farsighted people see better. bikini
Bikini was invented by him in 1946 and named after the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands where the first atomic bomb was tested. The bikini designers were two Frenchmen, Jacques Heim and Louis Liard.
bingo
"Bingo" was born from a game called Bino.
Biofilters and biofiltration
The first proposals to use biological methods to treat odorants began in 1923.
Biometric authentication and related technologies
Biometric technology is used to uniquely identify or verify an individual based on their body characteristics. blood bank
Dr. Charles Richard Drew was the first person to develop a blood bank.
blue jeans
No one but Levi Strauss invented blue jeans.
board games and cards
Puzzle the history of board games and other brain teasers.
body armor and bulletproof vest
Throughout recorded history, humans have used many different types of materials as armor to protect themselves from injury in combat and other dangerous situations.
boiler
George Babcock and Stephen Wilcox jointly invented a safer and more efficient boiler, the water tube boiler.
boomerang
Boomerang story.
bourdon tube pressure gauge
In 1849, the Bourdon tube pressure gauge was patented by Eugene Bourdon. bra
It was her 1913, Mary Phelps, and her Jacob corset wasn't the underwear she was supposed to wear under her new plain gown.
braces (teeth)
The history of braces and the science of orthodontics is complex, and many different patents have helped develop the braces we know today.
Braille
Louis Braille invented Braille printing.
brush your hair)
Brushes were used 2.5 million years ago.
chewing gum
The invention and history of chewing gum, chewing gum, chewing gum wrappers, chewing gum tins and chewing gum machines. bulldozer
It is not known for certain who invented the first bulldozer, but bulldozer blades were used before the invention of tractors.
bunsen burner
As an inventor, Robert Bunsen developed several methods for analyzing gases, but Bunsen is best known for inventing his burner.
Batalic (dress pattern)
Ebenezer Butterick, along with his wife Ellen Augusta Pollard Butterick, invented his pattern of tissue his paper dress.
03
10's
Inventions starting with "C"
calendar and clock
Learn about the early inventions of clocks, calendars, quartz clocks, timing devices and the science of time.
calculator
Timeline of calculator patents since 1917. Learn about the history of Texas Instruments, the origins of electronic calculators, handheld calculators, and more.
camera and photo
The history of the camera, including the camera obscura, photography, the essential processes of photography, and the inventors of Polaroid and photographic film.
cans and can opener
Tin Can Timeline - Learn how cans are made, filled and recycled. The history of the first can opener. Canadian invention
Canadian inventors have patented more than one million inventions.
candy
A delicious history of sweets.
carborundum
Edward Goodrich Acheson invented carborundum. Carborundum is the hardest man-made surface and was essential to the advent of the industrial age.
playing cards
The history of card games like Trump and Uno. pacemaker
Wilson Greatbatch invented the implantable pacemaker.
Carmex
Carmex is an ointment for chapped lips and cold sores that was invented in 1936.
car
The history of automobiles spans over 100 years. Learn about patents and famous car models, see timelines, and read about the first petrol and electric cars.
carousel
Interesting stories behind carousels and other circus and amusement park innovations. plowing
James Ritty invented his nickname "Incorruptible Cashier" or cash register.
cassette
In 1963, Phillips demonstrated for the first time compact audio his cassette.
cat's eyes
Percy Shaw patented a road safety invention, Cat's Eye, in 1934 when he was just 23 years old.
catheter
Thomas Fogarty invented his catheter, an embolectomy balloon. Betty Rozier and Lisa Vallino co-invented the intravenous catheter protector. Ingemar Henry Lundquist invented the wired balloon catheter used in most angioplasty procedures worldwide.
CRT
Electronic television is based on the invention of the cathode ray tube, the picture tube in modern television sets.
CAT scan
Robert Ledley invented a "diagnostic X-ray system" known as CAT His Scan.
CCD
George Smith and Willard Boyle patented a charge-coupled device or CCD.
Mobile phone (cell phone).
How the FCC slowed the progress of cell phone systems.
cellophane wrap
Cellophane wrap was invented by Jack Brandenberger in 1908. Cellophane® is a registered trademark of Innovia Films Ltd, Cumbria, UK.
Celsius thermometer
Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius invented the Celsius scale and the Celsius thermometer.
national census
In 1790, the first census was taken in the United States.
chainsaw
The story behind the humble chainsaw.
Champagne
A French monk was the first to bottle his sparkling wine called Champagne, named after the Champagne region of France. disposable chopsticks
The story of Chapstick and his inventor.
cheerleading (pom poms)
A history of innovation in pom poms and cheerleading.
canned cheese
The story of "Cheese in a Can".
cheese slicer
The cheese slicer is a Norwegian invention.
cheesecake and cream cheese
Cheesecake is said to have originated in ancient Greece. chewing gum
History of chewing gum and chewing gum.
chia pet
Animal figurines are designed with living herbs that mimic the fur or fur of specific animals.
Chinese invention
Learn about kites, chopsticks, umbrellas, gunpowder, firecrackers, the steel court, the abacus, cloisonné, pottery, papermaking and more.
chocolate
Chocolates, candy bars, chocolate chips The story behind his cookies.
Christmas related
The history of candy canes, Christmas lights and Christmas trees. christmas lights
In 1882, the first Christmas tree was lit with electricity.
tobacco
History of this tobacco product.
clarinet
The clarinet evolved from an early instrument called the charmeau, the first real instrument with a reed.
Clermont (steamboat)
Robert Fulton's steamship Clermont was the first successful steam-powered ship.
clone
Reproductive and therapeutic history. subtitles
TV subtitles are subtitles that are hidden in the TV video signal and cannot be seen without a special decoder.
Clothing and clothing related
Talking about what we wear:
Blue jeans, bikinis, tuxedos, fabrics, zippers and more.
clothes hanger
Today's wire coat hanger is O.
Maria Bellis
Updated August 21, 2019
There are countless famous (and not-so-famous) inventions that deserve curiosity and surprise. Of course, the following list is by no means exhaustive, but it does provide a "greatest hits" list of inventions past and present that have captured our imaginations and pushed us forward.
01
10's
Inventions starting with "A"
balloon experiment
French aviators Jacques-Charles (1746-1823) and Noël Robert in a hydrogen balloon designed by Charles, professor of physics, and assembled by Robert and his brother Jean, the first manned (free flight) successfully ascended. Taking off in front of 400,000 spectators, two hours later he landed in Nestlé La Vallee, over 40 km away. Print Collector/Getty Images
Adhesives/adhesives
Around 1750, the first glue patent was granted in England for glue made from fish. Adhesive/Tape
Scotch tape, or cellophane tape, was invented in 1930 by his 3M engineer Richard Drew, who played the banjo.
aerosol spray can
The concept of aerosols began in 1790.
Agriculture related
Learn the stories behind agricultural innovations, tractors, cotton grains, reapers, plows, plant patents and more.
Partner
Robot pet Aibo.
Airbag
In 1973, a research team at General Motors invented the first automotive safety airbag, first offered as an option on Chevrolets. balloon
Early history of balloons.
air brake
In 1868, George Westinghouse invented the air brake.
air conditioning
Willis Carrier ushered us into an air-conditioned comfort zone.
airship
The stories behind balloons, airships, dirigibles and zeppelins.
Airplane/Aviation
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright invented a manned, powered aircraft and patented it as the "Flying Machine". Learn about other aviation-related innovations. alcoholic beverage
Evidence of intentionally fermented beverages appears in the form of his mug of beer dated as early as the Neolithic.
alternating current
Charles Proteus Steinmetz developed a theory of alternating current that enabled the rapid expansion of the electrical industry.
Altimeter
An instrument for measuring perpendicular distances to a reference plane.
Aluminum foil - aluminum manufacturing process
The first mass-produced and widely used metal foil was made from tin. Tin foil was replaced with aluminum foil in 1910. Charles Martin Hall discovered an electrolytic method to produce aluminum cheaply, making the metal widely available for commercial use.
ambulance
Rescue His service concept originated with his Johanniter in Europe.
anemometer
In 1450, Italian artist and architect Leon Battista Alberti invented the first mechanical anemometer. An anemometer is a device that measures wind speed.
Answering machine
The history of answering machines. Antibody Labeling - Antigens and Antibodies
Joseph Burckhalter and Robert Seiwald invented the first practical and patented drug for labeling antibodies.
Preservative
Key figures behind the history and invention of preservatives.
apple computer
The Apple Lisa was the first home computer with a GUI or graphical user interface. Learn about the history of one of Apple's most famous home computers, the Apple Macintosh.
Aqualung
History of diving or diving equipment. arc emitter
In 1902 Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen invented the arc-hi emitter. Arc transmitters produced continuous radio waves, unlike all previous types of radio transmitters.
Archimedes screw
Invented by the ancient Greek scientist and mathematician Archimedes, the Archimedes screw is a machine for raising water.
armillary sphere
Miniature representations of the earth, moon, and planets in the form of globes, terrain models, and spheres have a long history.
artificial heart
Willem Korff invented both the first artificial heart and the first dialysis machine with an artificial kidney. asphalt
The history of roads, road construction and asphalt.
aspirin
In 1829, scientists discovered that a compound in willow called salicin was responsible for pain relief. However, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine in the 5th century BC BC, was the first to discover the pain-relieving properties of willow.
assembly line
Eli Olds invented the basic concept of the assembly line and Henry Ford improved it.
fabric
Denim, nylon, colored cotton, vinyl... the stories behind these fabrics and more.
Learn the fascinating story of how Facebook was invented.
Fahrenheit thermometer and scale
What can be considered the first modern thermometer, the mercury thermometer with a standardized Fahrenheit scale, was invented by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1714.
Farm related
Innovations related to farms, agriculture, tractors, gins, reapers, plows, crop patents and more. FAX/Facsimile/FAX
The fax machine was invented by Alexander Bain in 1842.
Ferris wheel
The history of the Ferris wheel.
fiber optic
The use of light to communicate with optical fibers.
movie
History of photographic film.
fingerprints and forensics
One of his first major developments in forensics was fingerprint identification. firearms
History of guns and firearms.
flashlight
When the flashlight was invented, the 1899 Eveready catalog had the biblical quote "Let There Be Light" on its cover.
Flight
The history of flight and the invention of the airplane. Also includes inventors Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright.
diskette
Alan Shugart nicknamed the first diskette "Floppy" for its flexibility.
fluorescent lamp
History of fluorescent lamps and mercury lamps. flying machine
Balloons allowed humans to levitate, but their inventors dreamed of creating flying machines that allowed humans to control their flight.
flying shuttle
John Kay invented the flying shuttle. Improvements in looms allowed weavers to weave faster.
foam finger
Steve Chmelar invented a form of finger or hand that is often seen at sports events and political rallies.
football
The invention of the American style of football.
foot pouch
The Hacky Sack or Footbag is a modern American sport invented in 1972. Fortran
The first high-level programming language called Fortran was invented by John Backus and his IBM.
fountain pen
The history of fountain pens and other writing instruments.
freezer
The history of this famous kitchen appliance.
French fries
"French fries" is the term Thomas Jefferson used to describe the dish he brought to the colonies in the late 18th century.
french horn.
The brass French he horns was invented on the basis of early hunting horns. Freon
In 1928, Thomas Midgley and Charles Kettering invented a "miracle compound" called freon. CFCs are now notorious for contributing significantly to the depletion of the Earth's ozone shield.
frisbee disc
How an empty Frisbee Baking Company cake pan became an early prototype for the world's most entertaining sport.
Freeze Dried / Freeze Dried Food
The basic process of freeze-drying food was known to the Peruvian Incas of the Andes.
Frozen food
Learn how Clarence Birdseye found a way to quick freeze food and ship it to the public. Fuel cell
Fuel cells were invented by Sir William Grove in 1839 and are poised to power the 21st century.
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