-
TELEPHONE
By Alexander Graham Bell. Bell studied at the University of Edinburgh and University College London without completing a degree and worked as a teacher of elocution, specializing in assisting deaf students. The telephone converted sound waves into electrical signals transmitted through wires and reconverted into sound. Today, it has evolved into smartphones, combining voice communication with internet and computing functions. -
REFRIGERATOR
By Carl Von Linde. Von Linde studied mechanical engineering and worked as an engineer for locomotive manufacturer Krauss Co. and later became a professor of mechanical engineering. The refrigerator used a vapor-compression system. A refrigerant gas was compressed, cooled, and expanded to absorb heat from the interior of the fridge, keeping it cold. It hasn't been replaced. -
LIGHT BULB
By Thomas Edison. Edison had minimal formal education and was largely self-taught.He worked as a telegraph operator while also inventing telegraphic equipment. The light bulb used a thin filament inside a glass bulb. Electricity heated the filament until it glowed, producing light. The vacuum in the bulb prevented the filament from burning out quickly. It had been replaced by energy-efficient technologies like LED (light-emitting diode) and CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulbs. -
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
By Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. Daimler studied mechanical engineering and worked as a gunsmith apprentice and then as a mechanical engineer. The ICE burned fuel (oil or diesel) in a combustion chamber to create hot gases that expanded and moved pistons. The pistons drove a crankshaft, which provided mechanical energy. It remains a key technology in cars, ships, and machinery. -
AUTOMOBILE
By Karl Benz. Karl studied mechanical engineering and worked for mechanical engineering companies , designing mechanical components. Early automobiles used an internal combustion engine fueled by gasoline. The engine converted chemical energy from fuel into mechanical energy through controlled explosions in cylinders. This powered the wheels.
Modern cars include electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids, which use electricity and batteries instead of internal combustion engines. -
CINEMATOGRAPH
By Lumière Brothers. Auguste and Louis were educated in science and photography and worked in their father's photography business, Lumière Sons. The cinematograph was a motion picture camera and projector. It captured images on a strip of film, which was advanced frame by frame. A light shone through the film during projection to display moving images on a screen.
It had been replaced to digital formats that offer higher resolution, easier editing, and distribution. -
RADIO
By Guglielmo Marconi. Marconi received private education and later studied physics focusing on electromagnetic waves. Later, he conducted independent experiments in his family's home laboratory. The radio transmitted electromagnetic waves through the air to carry sound signals. The transmitter converted sound into radio waves, and the receiver converted them back into sound. Radios are still widely used for communication, entertainment, and emergency services. -
AIRPLANE
By Wright Brothers. Wilbur and Orville had only high school educations but didn't graduate. They were self-taught engineers and mechanics. Then,they operated in a bicycle sales and repair shop. The plane used a propeller powered by a lightweight gasoline engine. The wings generated lift, while the rudder and other controls provided stability and direction. Replaced? No, but technologies have evolved to include jet engines, advanced aerodynamics, and electric-powered prototypes.