Results: Inventions That Changed Our World

Wright Flyer - In 1903 the Wright Brothers demonstrated that an airplane could sustain flight under the control of a pilot, a feat that had never before been accomplished. This invention changed everything from travel to shipping.

Personal Computer - You wouldn't be reading this list without the invention of the personal computer. In 1977 Stephen Wozniak unveiled the Apple II, the PC that arguably paved the way to widespread personal home computer use. Apple has since become a household name & the computer has evolved from what once took up an entire room to a device that can fit in your purse or pocket.

Celluloid - The first synthetic plastic is hugely important to life as we know it. It was developed in the 1860-70s by industrialist & inventor John Wesley Hyatt. Before then, the world couldn't have imagined plastic bags, tupperware or movies, to name but a few things made possible by plastic.

Integrated Circuit - Modern electronics simply wouldn't be possible without the integrated circuit, which was invented in 1958 by Jack Kilby. The integrated circuit is also known as the all-important "microchip" that powers your smartphone & even parts of your car.

Saxophone - While some musical instruments have been around for centuries the saxophone is a relatively recent invention. The first saxophone was patented by Antoine-Joseph Sax in Paris in 1846. It was the first instrument to combine a reed (as in a clarinet) with a brass bell (as in a trumpet). Without its unique sound, we would have never heard jazz or any of the music styles that followed in its footsteps.

Iconoscope Television Camera & Kinescope Receiver - This television camera & receiver were invented by Vladimir Kosma Zworykin, a Russian-born American engineer in the 1920s. Transmitting an image from one place to another not only made it possible for you to watch your favorite TV programs but also for news & other important information to travel quickly around the world.

Cylinder Phonograph - Thomas Alva Edison's cylinder phonograph brought music to the masses. It was the first type of record player, which used tinfoil sheets & a vibrating stylus. The 1857 invention was a far cry from what we have today but it heralded the beginning of portable music. Just think...before the phonograph, if people wanted to listen to a song, they had to actually find someone to play it.

Bessemer Process - This process made it possible to mass-produce steel. This was a huge innovation in construction & led to many important advances. The process was invented independently & concurrently by Sir Henry Bessemer (of England) and William Kelly (of the USA) in the 1840s. While different methods are used for steel manufacturing today, the process was an important building block. Without it, we wouldn't have the towering skyscrapers we have today.

Daguerreotype - The first successful photograph, the daguerreotype, was invented by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre & Nicéphore Niépce in the 1830s. Niépce's first attempt needed 8 hours exposure time where as Daguerre's needed 20 or 30 minutes. Now, we can take photos of anything we want, anytime, instantly.

Not Applicable