The wheel, one of the most important inventions in history, was first used for pottery, not for transport.
Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the invention of the telephone in 1876, changing human communication forever.
Engineer Percy Spencer discovered microwave cooking when a candy bar in his pocket melted near radar equipment in 1945.
Several inventors worked on electric lighting before Edison, but his design was the first practical and long-lasting version.
Cai Lun, a Chinese court official, is credited with inventing paper around 105 A.D., revolutionizing how information was recorded.
Charles Babbage designed the first mechanical computer, the Analytical Engine, in the 1830s, laying the groundwork for modern computing.
Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented Velcro after observing burrs clinging to his dog's fur in the 1940s.
Johannes Gutenberg’s 15th-century invention of the printing press made books more accessible and helped spark the Renaissance.
The Wright brothers achieved the first powered, controlled flight in 1903, opening the door to modern aviation.
Early cameras, like those used by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in the 1820s, required exposures of several hours to produce a single image.
ARPANET, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s, eventually evolved into the modern Internet.
Before gasoline-powered engines became popular, many of the earliest cars in the 19th century were electric.
The modern zipper, patented in 1917 by Gideon Sundback, revolutionized clothing and accessories with its simple fastening mechanism.
Walter Hunt invented the safety pin in 1849 and sold the patent for $400, completing the design in just a few hours.
Greek inventor Hero of Alexandria created mechanical devices powered by steam and air—considered early forms of robotics.