Every year or decade, more and more scientists and inventors appear who give us new discoveries and inventions in various fields. But there are inventions that, once invented, change our way of life in a huge way, moving us forward on the path of progress. Here's just a dozen great inventions who have changed the world in which we live.
List of inventions:
1. Nails
Inventor: unknown
Without nails, our civilization would certainly collapse. It is difficult to determine the exact date of appearance of the nails. Now the approximate date of creation of nails is in the Bronze Age. That is, it is obvious that nails could not have appeared before people learned to cast and shape metal. Previously, wooden structures had to be erected using more complex technologies, using complex geometric structures. Now the construction process has been greatly simplified.
Until the 1790s and early 1800s, iron nails were made by hand. The blacksmith would heat a square iron rod and then beat it on all four sides to create the sharp end of the nail. Machines for making nails appeared between the 1790s and early 1800s. Nail technology continued to evolve; After Henry Bessemer developed a process for mass-producing steel from iron, the iron nails of yesteryear gradually fell out of favor, and by 1886, 10% of nails in the United States were made from soft steel wire (according to the University of Vermont). By 1913, 90% of nails produced in the United States were made from steel wire.
2. Wheel
Inventor: unknown
The idea of a symmetrical component moving in a circular motion along an axis existed in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Europe separately at different periods of time. Thus, it is impossible to establish who and where exactly invented the wheel, but this great invention appeared in 3500 BC and became one of the most important inventions of mankind. The wheel facilitated work in the fields of agriculture and transportation, and also became the basis for other inventions, ranging from carriages to clocks.
3. Printing press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the manual printing press in 1450. By 1500, twenty million books had already been printed in Western Europe. In the 19th century, modifications were made and iron parts replaced wooden ones, speeding up the printing process. The cultural and industrial revolution in Europe would not have been possible if not for the speed with which printing allowed documents, books and newspapers to be distributed to a wide audience. The printing press allowed the press to develop, and also gave people the opportunity to educate themselves. The political sphere would also be unthinkable without millions of copies of leaflets and posters. What can we say about the state apparatus with its endless number of forms? In general, it is a truly great invention.
4. Steam engine
Inventor: James Watt
Although the first version of the steam engine dates back to the 3rd century AD, it was not until the advent of the industrial age in the early 19th century that the modern form of the internal combustion engine emerged. It took decades of design before James Watt made the first drawings, according to which burning fuel releases high-temperature gas and, as it expands, puts pressure on the piston and moves it. This phenomenal invention played a crucial role in the invention of other machines such as cars and airplanes, which changed the face of the planet we live on.
5. Light bulb
Inventor: Thomas Alva Edison
The invention of the light bulb developed during the 1800s by Thomas Edison; he is credited with being the main inventor of a lamp that could burn for 1500 hours without burning out (invented in 1879). The idea of the light bulb itself did not belong to Edison and was expressed by many people, but it was he who managed to select the right materials so that the light bulb would burn for a long time and become cheaper than candles.
6. Penicillin
Inventor: Alexander Fleming
Penicillin was accidentally discovered in a petri dish by Alexander Fleming in 1928. The drug penicillin is a group of antibiotics that treats several infections in people without harming them. Penicillin was mass produced during World War II to rid military personnel of sexually transmitted diseases and is still used as a standard antibiotic against infections. This was one of the most famous discoveries made in the field of medicine. Alexander Fleming received the Nobel Prize in 1945, and newspapers of the time wrote:
“To defeat fascism and liberate France, he made more entire divisions”
7. Telephone
Inventor: Antonio Meucci
For a long time it was believed that Alexander Bell was the discoverer of the telephone, but in 2002 the US Congress decided that the right of primacy in the invention of the telephone belongs to Antonio Meucci. In 1860 (16 years earlier than Graham Bell), Antonio Meucci demonstrated an apparatus that was capable of transmitting voice over wires. Antonio named his invention Telectrophone and applied for a patent in 1871. This marked the beginning of work on one of the most revolutionary inventions that almost everyone on our planet has, keeping it in their pockets and on their desks. The telephone, which later also developed as the mobile phone, has had a vital impact on humanity, especially in the fields of business and communication. The expansion of audible speech from within one room to the entire world is an accomplishment unmatched to this day.
8. Television
Zvorykin with an iconoscope
Inventor: Rosing Boris Lvovich and his students Zvorykin Vladimir Konstantinovich and Kataev Semyon Isidorovich (not recognized as a discoverer), as well as Philo Farnsworth
Although the invention of television cannot be attributed to one person, most people agree that the invention of modern television was the work of two people: Vladimir Kosma Zvorykin (1923) and Philo Farnsworth (1927). It should be noted here that in the USSR, the development of television using parallel technology was carried out by Semyon Isidorovich Kataev, and the first experiments and operating principles of electric television were described by Rosing at the beginning of the 20th century. Television was also one of the greatest inventions, which was developed from mechanical to electronic, from black and white to color, from analogue to digital, from primitive models without a remote control to intelligent ones, and now to 3D versions and small home theaters. People usually spend about 4-8 hours a day watching TV and this has greatly affected family and social life and has also changed our culture beyond recognition.
9. Computer
Inventor: Charles Babbage, Alan Turing and others.
The principle of the modern computer was first mentioned by Alan Turing, and later the first mechanical computer was invented in the early 19th century. This invention has truly accomplished amazing things in more areas of life, including the philosophy and culture of human society. The computer has helped high-speed military aircraft take off, launched spacecraft into orbit, controlled medical equipment, created visual images, stored vast amounts of information, and improved the functioning of automobiles, telephones, and power plants.
10. Internet and World Wide Web
Map of the entire computer network for 2016
Inventor: Vinton Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee
The Internet was first developed in 1973 by Vinton Cerf with support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). Its original use was to provide a communications network in research laboratories and universities in the United States and to extend overtime work. This invention (along with the World Wide Web) was the main revolutionary invention of the 20th century. In 1996, there were more than 25 million computers connected to the Internet in 180 countries, and now we even had to switch to IPv6 to increase the number of IP addresses, since IPv4 addresses were completely exhausted, and there were about 4.22 billion of them.
The World Wide Web as we know it was first predicted by Arthur C. Clarke. However, the invention was made 19 years later in 1989 by CERN employee Tom Berners Lee. The web has changed the way we approach various fields, including education, music, finance, reading, medicine, language, etc. The web has the potential to surpass all the great inventions of the world.
Without a doubt, the 20th century has proven to be the most productive of all previous centuries, and is unparalleled in the number of advances in science and technology. In the 21st century, we actively use knowledge and improve what was discovered in the previous century. As it turned out, many great inventions and discoveries have not only positive, but also negative consequences, and scientists around the world are actively struggling with shortcomings and trying to find a worthy alternative. Despite their varied consequences, the inventions of the 20th century changed the course of history and evolution of the entire planet.
1. Internet
The typewriter was, in a way, the “progenitor” of the computer. It was thanks to her that the world saw printed books and newspapers for the first time. The invention of the personal computer, in turn, was able to combine not only the functions of a typewriter, but also a VCR and player, and much more. But truly, the invention of the Internet brought value to the computer, thanks to which, without leaving home, we can communicate with people from all over the world, find out the latest news, get our favorite music and movies, earn money, look for work, etc. and so on.
Despite earlier developments in the field of wireless signal transmission, the first inventor of radio is considered to be Russian physicist and electrical engineer Alexander Popov. This happened in 1937, when the first radio became available to every family. Since then, it has become almost the main entertainment in every home. After all, now many could listen to various radio programs, music and important announcements.
3. Antibiotics
Many diseases that seem easy to treat today were deadly for people in previous centuries. After all, no means have been found to help prevent the reproduction and growth of bacteria in the body. This was the case until 1928, when the English scientist Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, which in those days was called “penicillin”. Today, antibiotics are actively used in medicine, but they can have not only positive, but also negative effects.
4. Air conditioning systems
Once upon a time, people's passionate reluctance to live and work in cramped, stuffy and hot rooms led to an attempt to create an apparatus capable of circulating air. In ancient times, people saved themselves with ordinary fans, and with the advent of the first air conditioner, which solved not only this problem, but also a million others, life became much easier. Its founder in 1902 was the American engineer and inventor Willis Carrier. He became the developer of the first device capable of controlling air temperature and humidity. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine any large shopping center or restaurant without air conditioning.
5. Airplane
In the 19th century, designers and scientists changed the possibilities of humanity and history as a whole, thanks to the invention of the train. Then, in a matter of hours, days or weeks, it was possible to cover enormous distances. In the twentieth century, inventors went even further and built the first aircraft, and then an airplane. Now every corner of the planet does not seem distant and unknown to us, because you can get there in just a few hours.
6. Car
In ancient times, people traveled on horses and carriages, and today, without such a vehicle as a car, it is simply impossible to imagine our life. The American company Ford was the first to launch the global assembly of cars at the beginning of the twentieth century. Today, a car is the most convenient, practical and reliable means of transportation.
7. Personal computer
The first personal computers were known to us under the name COMPUTER (electronic computers). Entire halls were created with a large amount of this miracle of technology, where one could come, like a library, and use a computer to perform the necessary tasks and calculations. It was painfully reminiscent of modern Internet clubs. It is known that the first use of computers was found during the Great Patriotic War. Today, the invention of an electronic computer has evolved significantly and is known to us under the name “computer”, without which it is difficult to imagine everyday life.
8. Rocketry
The Chinese power has always surprised the world in the development of various technologies. One of their greatest achievements in this area was rocket technology. It is known that attempts to realize dreams in space exploration became possible three thousand years ago, but only in the twentieth century did this become a reality. Now we have an idea of the universe, stars and distant planets.
9. Television
Radio has been replaced by television and it is difficult to imagine modern life without it. If earlier, only sound could be transmitted over a distance, then over the years, image transmission has also become possible. Thanks to this, the world first learned what films were. This great invention also appeared in the twentieth century.
10. Nuclear energy
With the advent of ways to use nuclear energy in life, humanity has made a huge breakthrough in the evolution of our planet. After all, today it is the cheapest, most rational and inexhaustible source of energy. Thanks to this, light and warmth became available to everyone, but this became possible only in the twentieth century.
Modern technologies are rapidly moving forward, making science fiction film footage a thing of the near future. They enter our lives so imperceptibly and organically that there are already a number of inventions that make us wonder. We present to your attention the list - Top 10 the most interesting inventions of mankind of the 21st century. Perhaps some of them will not be in demand at all, but they have the potential to significantly change our lives. Presented here are both inventions for solving specific problems and technologies that can find application in many areas.
1. Mind reading devices
Transferring complex thoughts directly from the brain to various devices is not something we can dream of in the near future. But back in 1998, a gadget went on sale that allowed paralyzed people to turn the light on and off with the power of thought. And in 2008, Japanese scientists led by Junichi Ushiba allowed a paralyzed person to give simple commands to a character in a computer social game. Several large companies today sell telepathic devices that allow you to control applications or toys. They actively cooperate with game manufacturers, which, if events develop well, will give significant results in the future. The use of such devices for medical purposes is also promising. For this reason, a mind reading device could, in the future, become one of the most useful inventions of mankind.
2.
Studies of overweight people who were not helped by dieting showed that most of them secretly ate food, which ruined their efforts. It is impossible to organize such observation for every patient in everyday life. The invention of scientists from Taiwan University is designed to solve this problem, allowing you to monitor the number and frequency of food intake. In the future it is planned to make it more informative and wireless. In addition to nutritionists and psychologists, it may also be useful to doctors of other professions. Of course, if its creators do not abandon work on it and they manage to do everything planned.
3.
Such robots are very useful in performing operations that require special precision and undoubtedly, they can be considered as the most important inventions of mankind made in the 21st century. It may seem that the era of such devices has not yet arrived. But they are already being mass-produced and have become quite widespread. The best known is the daVinci surgical robot, which is a manipulator controlled by a surgeon. Hundreds of thousands of operations are performed on such systems around the world every year. And the American robot “Star” is known for performing intestinal surgery on its own, so it is possible that in the future there will even be competition in this area.
4.
A 3D printer is one of the useful and most unusual inventions of mankind. This device is primarily associated with simple plastic figurines produced at home. But the number of areas in which they are already used or could be useful is enormous. They assist engineers in design, reducing time and costs. You can print useful and small items on them at home. In some industries, especially small-scale ones, producing parts on 3D printers will cost less than on classic lines.
Even in making food, growing organs and creating medicines, this technology could be useful. The US and UK authorities have already had to declare any weapon made on 3D printers illegal. Well, fans of stories about robots taking over the world will be interested to know that there are models that can print more than half of the parts for themselves.
5.
Some people believe that this technology has no future because very few people are using it at the moment. But these devices give large companies a chance to earn huge profits, so their development will not be long in coming. The gaming industry is the most promising for them. In addition, work is underway to organize live broadcasts from sporting events and significant events using virtual reality devices. With their help, movies and TV series will be able to place a person inside the stories being told; they are already actively used to train American soldiers. And that's not all: healthcare, education, real estate sales - all these are potential areas of application of virtual reality.
6. Sixth Sense
If the previous technology immerses a person in virtual reality, then this device, on the contrary, helps it penetrate our world. This invention can be included in the list that contains the most interesting inventions of mankind. Sixth Sense allows you to use almost any surface as a display and interact with it using your hands with special marks on your fingers. The prototype, made by MIT students, is assembled from publicly available parts and costs only $350. The system allows you to find information on the Internet about objects simply by looking at them, displaying it on any surface. Or dial a phone number by projecting the numbers onto your hand. At the moment it is at the development stage and is far from mass release.
7.
They are widely used by the military, and even a civilian can buy a model in a store that allows them to take photographs and videos from a great height. Their main difference is that the UAV requires constant exchange of information with the control panel. And drones can perform tasks autonomously. They are planned to be used for distributing the Internet, delivering medicines, food and other goods. They are also capable of measuring indicators in places that are dangerous to humans. They are already used for advertising purposes and even as waiters.
8. Holograms
Many people remember scenes from science fiction films where a conversation is conducted with a hologram of a person, creating the full effect of his presence in the room. At the moment there are no such technologies. But it is already possible to reproduce a fairly high-quality image on stage. One of the most famous examples of this is the Tupac hologram. And the Japanese Hatsune Miku is generally a completely artificial star who gave real concerts. The first prototypes have been presented, producing three-dimensional images of not very high quality. You can even interact with them using your hands.
9.
Caring for seriously ill patients is difficult and exhausting work. It is not surprising that inventors from different countries offer their own technical solutions to make it easier. In the future, such robots may prove to be one of the most important inventions of mankind. The Japanese have created a robot capable of transferring a person from a bed to a chair and back, moving over long distances. And students at the University of Massachusetts presented an android capable of delivering various subjects and self-learning as it goes. Today, robots are not able to provide normal human care; they can only perform a few actions. The future will tell whether they will be able to replace caregivers in full.
10. Organ cultivation
Growing organs is unusual, incredibly useful and the most interesting invention of mankind, made in the 21st century and opening up prospects for practically eternal life. The shortage of organs suitable for transplantation leads to the fact that many people simply do not wait their turn or cannot afford such an operation. There is also a thriving black market for illegally obtained body parts. But cells have an amazing ability to self-organize into complex tissues, which already allows scientists to conduct successful experiments to obtain new organs.
Using patient cells minimizes the risk of rejection. Growing skin for extensive burns is already being actively used, and a technique for producing artificial tracheas has been developed. Teeth, cartilage, blood vessels, muscles, blood, kidneys, bladder - this is not a complete list of what scientists were able to obtain under artificial conditions and transplant into animals. Naturally, these technologies have not been proven and science will have to solve a lot of problems for their widespread implementation.
Here are the TOP 10 best inventions of 2016.
Every year, Time magazine selects the best inventions that make the world a better, smarter and, in some cases, more fun.
Flight
Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
1. Floating light bulbs
Flight / $349
When Simon Morris was a child, he was obsessed with objects that floated in the air. At one point, he was able to turn a skateboard into a hoverboard, but according to his own memories, “he couldn’t ride it.”
Now his passion has helped create the light bulb - Flight. Just not the most common one. The Morris light bulb floats in the air, levitates. And it shines thanks to a resonant transformer - the technical term for wireless power transmission.
Simon himself believes that his invention is a great combination of science and art, which honors the traditions of pragmatists like Thomas Edison and dreamers like Nikola Tesla.
Morpher Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
Morpher / $119
Like many cyclists, Jeff Wolf has experienced situations that could have crippled him if not for his helmet. So why, he wondered, did so many people refuse to carry it?
It turned out to be simple - they are too bulky and uncomfortable. They are difficult to carry because they do not fit into a backpack or bag. Wolfe solved this problem by creating a folding bicycle helmet. The result of his development was the Morpher. This bicycle helmet is made of woven plastic that is just as durable as its counterparts. It is flexible enough to fold almost completely flat. His idea raised almost $300,000 on Indiegogo. We hope Morpher will save lives.
3. Elon Musk's solar roof
Solar roof
Help the environment and save money? This is a dilemma that solar panel buyers have faced for many years. And now the answer has appeared: Tesla.
A solar roof is a series of tiles that, in addition to the function of a roof, carries the function of solar panels. At the same time, it cannot be distinguished from ordinary tiles. Although you can tell the difference, it looks even better.
Read more:
Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
4. Self-lacing sneakers
Nike Hyperadapt 1.0 / $720
Almost everyone who's seen Back to the Future wants three things: a time-traveling DeLorean, a working hoverboard, and a pair of self-lacing sneakers. Now, thanks to Nike, one of those things has become available. On the company's new sneakers, just press a button near the tongue and HyperAdapt 1.0 will automatically tighten the laces exactly on your foot. And although this technology may seem frivolous, it can actually be in demand among people with mobility impairments.
5. Football fields that fit anywhere
The Klong Toei area in central Bangkok is densely populated and built up accordingly. This fact does not allow creating new parks for people, let alone large rectangular fields on which children play football.
However, real estate firm AP Thailand approached it differently. Using aerial photography, the company found those places that are called “abandoned,” or simply put, not used due to their irregular shape. Then they covered them with concrete, paint, anti-slip materials and marked them according to all the rules of football. It turned out well!
Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
6. Leading Virtual Reality Headset
PlayStation VR / $400
In order to gain access to the most advanced virtual reality technology, people typically had to shell out several thousand dollars. Sony changed everything with the release of PlayStation VR. It's designed to work with the console that millions of people own.
Vape Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
7. Replacement of cannabis tablets
Hmbldt Vape pens / $100
Millions of ordinary people rely on common doctor-prescribed remedies to combat insomnia and headaches. What if they used medical cannabis instead? For reference, it is already used for medicinal purposes. And now, more and more states are legalizing medical marijuana, because more and more studies show that it has certain advantages in the treatment of certain diseases and ailments.
California-based company Hmbldt has made a new vaporizer that dispenses cannabis oil to help people feel more relaxed, calm, sleepy and thus get rid of headaches. Note that the method has not yet been thoroughly tested by doctors.
Hello Sense Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
8. Alarm clock
Hello Sense / $149
It's hard to believe that an alarm clock, that nasty, cruel gadget that wakes you up and only ruins your morning, can not only be beautiful, but also improve your sleep. Sense can measure the temperature, humidity, amount of light, and even air quality in your bedroom to help project your ideal sleep environment.
Levitating tires Photo: Goodyear
9. Tires that rotate in all directions
Eagle 360 / Designed by Goodyear
As companies race to develop self-driving cars, Goodyear is redesigning its wheels. Their spherical tire concept, which debuted in March, will allow cars to move in many directions, including sideways, facilitating parallel parking, and at certain angles and speeds, counteracting slippery surfaces. The key to the concept is magnetic levitation, the car floating above the wheels. Of course, with this design, steering is not provided, but is intended for steeringless control.Truly interesting!
Eatwell Photo: Lucas Zarebinski
10. Dishes for people with cognitive impairments
Eatwell / $60
After his late grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Sha Yao felt helpless. It was especially unpleasant, he recalls, when, while dining with her, he saw that, despite all her efforts, she spilled food on herself.
Inspired by his grandmother's plight, Yao created Eatwell. The lunch kit is designed for people with Alzheimer's disease and other diseases that affect the brain and body functions. According to the designer, bright colors help differentiate dishes and prevent spills, making dinner time more enjoyable and "bringing back the joy of sharing food together."
We live in unique times! It only takes half a day to fly halfway around the Earth, our super-powerful smartphones are 60,000 times lighter than the original computers, and today's agricultural production and life expectancy are the highest in human history!
We owe these enormous achievements to a small number of great minds - scientists, inventors and artisans who conceived and developed the products and machines on which the modern world is built. Without these people and their incredible inventions, we would go to bed at sunset and be stuck in a time before cars and telephones.
In this list, we will talk about the most important and decisive recent inventions, their history and significance in the development of mankind. Can you guess which inventions we'll be talking about?
From methods for sanitizing food and making food safer, to a toxic gas that helped form the basis of international trade, to an invention that led to the sexual revolution and liberated people, each of these creations had a direct impact on people's lives. Find out about 25 outstanding inventions that changed our world!
25. Cyanide
While cyanide is a rather grim way to start this list, this chemical has played an important role in human history. While its gaseous form has caused the death of millions of people, cyanide serves as the main factor in extracting gold and silver from ore. And since the world economy was tied to the gold standard, cyanide served and continues to be an important factor in the development of international trade.
24. Airplane
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the invention of the "iron bird" had one of the greatest influences on human history.
Radically reducing the time needed to transport people and cargo, the airplane was invented by the Wright brothers, who built on the work of previous inventors such as George Cayley and Otto Lilienthal.
Their invention was readily accepted by a significant part of society, after which the “golden age” of aviation began.
23. Anesthesia
Before 1846, there was little difference between surgical procedures and painful experimental torture.
Anesthetics have been used for thousands of years, although their early forms were much simplified versions, such as alcohol or mandrake extract.
The invention of modern anesthesia in the form of nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) and ether allowed doctors to perform operations without fear of causing pain to patients. (Bonus fact: Cocaine is said to have become the first effective form of local anesthesia after it was used in eye surgery in 1884.)
22. Radio
The history of the invention of radio is not so clear: some claim that it was invented by Guglielmo Marconi, others insist that it was Nikola Tesla. In any case, these two men relied on the work of many famous predecessors before successfully transmitting information via radio waves.
And while this is commonplace today, try to imagine telling someone in 1896 that you could transmit information through the air. You would be mistaken for insane or possessed by demons!
21. Telephone
The telephone has become one of the most important inventions of the modern world. As with most great inventions, its inventor and the people who made significant contributions to its creation are hotly debated and debated to this day.
The only thing that is known for certain is that the first patent for a telephone was issued by the US Patent Office to Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. This patent served as the basis for further research and development of electronic sound transmission over long distances.
20. "World Wide Web, or WWW
Although most of us assume that this invention is recent, the Internet has actually existed in its outdated form since 1969, when the US military developed the ARPANET (Advanced Research Project Agency Network).
The first message that was planned to be sent over the Internet - "log in" ("log in") - crashed the system, so only "lo" could be sent. The World Wide Web as we know it today began when Tim Berners-Lee created the hypertext document network and the University of Illinois created the first Mosaic browser.
19. Transistor
It seems like there's nothing easier than picking up the phone and contacting someone in Bali, India or Iceland, but it wouldn't work without a transistor.
Thanks to this semiconductor triode, which amplifies electrical signals, it became possible to transmit information over vast distances. The man who co-invented the transistor, William Shockley, founded the laboratory that pioneered the creation of Silicon Valley.
18. Quantum clocks
While it may not seem as revolutionary as many of the things listed previously, the invention of quantum (atomic) clocks was crucial to the development of humanity.
Using microwave signals emitted by the changing energy levels of electrons, quantum clocks and their precision have made possible a wide range of modern inventions, including GPS, GLONASS and the Internet.
17. Steam turbine
Charles Parsons' steam turbine pushed the boundaries of human technological progress, powering industrialized nations and enabling ships to cross vast oceans.
The engines operate by rotating a shaft using compressed water steam, which generates electricity - one of the main differences between a steam turbine and a steam engine, which revolutionized the industry. In 1996 alone, 90% of all electricity generated in the United States was generated by steam turbines.
16. Plastic
Despite its widespread use in modern society, plastic is a relatively recent invention, appearing only over a hundred years ago.
This moisture-resistant and incredibly pliable material is used in almost every industry - from food packaging to toy production and even spacecraft.
Although most modern plastics are made from petroleum, there are growing calls for a return to the original version, which was partly natural and organic.
15. Television
Television has a long and storied history that began in the 1920s and is still evolving today, through to the advent of modern capabilities such as DVDs and plasma panels.
One of the most popular consumer products around the world (nearly 80% of households have at least one television), this invention was the cumulative result of numerous previous ones, resulting in a product that became a major influencer of public opinion in the mid-20th century.
14. Oil
Most of us don't think twice about filling up our car's gas tank. Although humanity has been producing oil for thousands of years, the modern gas and oil industry began its development in the second half of the 19th century - after modern streetlights appeared on the streets.
Having appreciated the enormous amount of energy that is generated by burning oil, industrialists rushed to build wells to extract “liquid gold.”
13. Internal combustion engine
Without productive oil, there would be no modern internal combustion engine.
Used in many areas of human activity - from cars to agricultural combines and excavators - internal combustion engines make it possible to replace people with machines that can perform back-breaking, painstaking and time-consuming work in a matter of time.
Also, thanks to these engines, people gained freedom of movement, as they were used in the original self-propelled vehicles (cars).
12. Reinforced concrete
Before the advent of reinforced concrete in the mid-19th century, humanity could safely erect buildings only up to a certain height.
Embedding steel reinforcing bars before pouring concrete strengthens it so that man-made structures can now support much more weight, allowing us to build larger and taller buildings and structures than ever before.
11. Penicillin
There would be far fewer people on our planet today if it were not for penicillin.
Officially discovered by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming in 1928, penicillin was one of the most significant inventions (or discoveries, to a large extent) that made our modern world possible.
Antibiotics were among the first drugs that could properly treat staphylococcus, syphilis and tuberculosis.
10. Cooling
Taming fire was perhaps humanity's most important discovery to date, but it would take millennia until we tamed cold.
Although humanity has long used ice for cooling, its practicality and availability have been limited for some time. In the 19th century, humanity made significant progress in its development after scientists invented artificial cooling using chemical elements that absorb heat.
By the early 1900s, nearly every meatpacking plant and large wholesaler used refrigeration to store food.
9. Pasteurization
Helping to save many lives half a century before the discovery of penicillin, Louis Pasteur invented the process of pasteurizing, or heating foods (originally beer, wine and dairy products) to a temperature high enough to kill most bacteria that cause putrefaction.
Unlike sterilization, which kills all bacteria, pasteurization, while preserving the taste of the product, reduces the number of potential pathogens only, reducing it to a level at which they are not capable of causing harm to health.
8. Solar battery
Just as oil fueled industry, the invention of the solar cell has allowed us to use renewable energy in a much more efficient way.
The first practical solar battery was developed in 1954 by specialists from the Bell Telephone laboratory based on silicon. Over the years, the efficiency of solar panels has increased dramatically along with their popularity.
7. Microprocessor
If the microprocessor had not been invented, we would never have known about laptops and smartphones.
One of the most widely known supercomputers, ENIAC, was created in 1946 and weighed 27,215 kg. Intel electronics engineer and global hero Ted Hoff developed the first microprocessor in 1971, packing the functions of a supercomputer into one small chip, making portable computers possible.
6. Laser
An acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation", the laser was invented in 1960 by Theodore Maiman. The amplified light is anchored through spatial coherence, allowing the light to remain focused and concentrated over long distances.
In today's world, lasers are used almost everywhere, including laser cutting machines, barcode scanners and surgical equipment.
5. Nitrogen fixation (nitrogen fixation)
Although the term may seem overly scientific, nitrogen fixation is actually responsible for the dramatic increase in human population on Earth.
By converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, we have learned to produce highly effective fertilizers, which have made it possible to increase production on the same plots of land, significantly improving our agricultural products.
4. Assembly line
The impact of commonplace inventions in their time is rarely remembered, but the importance of the assembly line cannot be overstated.
Before his invention, all products were painstakingly made by hand. The assembly line made it possible to create mass production of identical components, significantly reducing the time to manufacture a new product.
3. Birth control pill
Although pills and tablets have been one of the main methods of taking medicine for thousands of years, the invention of the birth control pill was the most revolutionary of them all.
Approved for use in 1960 and now taken by more than 100 million women worldwide, this combined oral contraceptive was a major impetus for the sexual revolution and changed the conversation about fertility, largely shifting the responsibility of choice from men to women.
2. Mobile phone/smartphone
Chances are, you're reading or viewing this list on your smartphone right now.
Although the first widely known smartphone was the iPhone, which hit the market in 2007, we have Motorola, its “ancient” predecessor, to thank for that. In 1973, it was this company that released the first wireless pocket mobile phone, which weighed 2 kilograms and charged for 10 hours. To make matters worse, you could talk on it for only 30 minutes before the battery needed charging again.
1. Electricity
Most of the modern inventions on this list would not be even remotely possible if it were not for the greatest of them all: electricity. While some might think that the Internet or the airplane should top this list, both of these inventions have electricity to thank.
William Gilbert and Benjamin Franklin were the pioneers who laid the original foundation on which great minds such as Alessandro Volta, Michael Faraday and others built, sparking the Second Industrial Revolution and discovering era of lighting and power supply.
