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Clock
The clock is one of mankind’s earliest inventions. People have kept track of time with sundials, solar charts, water clocks, candle clocks and hourglasses. But in 1656 Galileo and Christiaan Huygens invented the pendulum clock. The clock now runs society and everyone uses some type of time keeping device to stay on time. -
Steam Engine
The first practical steam-powered engine was invented in 1698 by Thomas Savery. Savery’s invention led to the steam locomotive, traction engine, steam boat and more. It greatly advanced society by increasing the efficiency in shipping, travel, and moving in general. Today trains are very useful in moving great amounts of materials. -
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793 and it revolutionized the cotton industry in the United States. It quickly and easily separated cotton fibers from their seeds which increased the speed of the process which was once a painstaking job that could only be done by hand. Today most clothing is made from cotton and the machine's influence remains. -
Light Bulb
Thomas Edison was given the first patent on the lightbulb in 1879 but it was originally invented in 1809 by Humphry Davy who was an English chemist. Today, there are light bulbs in the Guinness book of world records which are said to have been on for over 100 years. It is difficult to travel anywhere in anything without seeing a lightbulb of some sort. -
Microphone
Emile Berliner invented the microphone in 1876. In 1878, David E. Hughes created the carbon microphone which is still used today. The microphone is still influential today in sports broadcasting and generally most telivision shows and radio. -
Telephone
Thomas Edison, Johann Philipp Reis and Alexander Graham Bell have been credited with the invention of the telephone, but Alexander Graham Bell recieved first patent in 1876. The telephone is the most used device in the world. -
Film
Eadweard Muybridge, is recognized by some as the first person to make a motion picture. In 1878 he used 24 cameras to produce images of a galloping horse. While it was a short clip, it was arguably the first motion picture ever made. By the early 1900′s film was thriving in Europe and in Hollywood. Today film is a multi-million dollar industry.
Galloping horse, animated in 2006, using photos taken by Eadweard Muybridge in 1878. -
Radio
The technology used to invent radio wasn’t invented by just one person. There were so many people involved that the issue became blown out of proportion and disputes arose over who could claim credit. It was very influential in transmitting news, music, and stories to the public. It is less influential today due to television and the internet but it still provides music and news to the public... all for free. -
Automobile
Karl Benz is known as the inventor of the automobile. He built his first automobile in 1885 and patented the first internal-combustion flat engine called the “boxermotor.” The auto industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. -
Airplane
The Wright brothers made the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight in 1903. Other flight devices like the kite and glider were made thousands of years ago and were developed long before the airplane. The Wright flyer 1 was probably one of the first airplane’s in modern times. Airplanes are now influential in transporting people, troops, and aiding in warfare. -
Computer
There is no single inventor of the modern computer, but the title would most likely go to Konrad Zuse. Konrad invented the first binary computer in 1936 called the “Z1.” It took 40 more years until home computers became available to the public. Computers are now turning into phones and the world would implode if computers disappeared. -
Internet
The story of the internet begins in 1969 when the United States Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency implemented ARPANET, the world’s first operational packet switching network. In 1983 ARPANET’s core networking protocol was changed from NCP to TCP/IP which marked the start of the internet we know today. The internet has provided us with large amounts of easily accessible knowledge and it is now the basis of life.
