THE 100 MOST IMPORTANT INVENTIONS IN HISTORY - TECHNOLOGY - 2024

Among the most important inventions in history are the microscope, the light bulb and X-rays. The human mind is a prodigy, so from the ancestors in the age of caves to the present, humanity has spent its entire history creating gadgets to simplify your life.

Since the first humans discovered that by rubbing two surfaces to create friction they could create fire, going through the invention of the wheel, the printing press and the Internet, until reaching the technological advances of the 21st century, all these inventions have resulted in the evolution of the human species, as well as in its supremacy over the others.

The microscope is considered one of the most revolutionary inventions in history. Source: pixabay.com

This is how humanity always looks to the future, in order to invent and discover various ways that allow it to have greater comfort, facilitate certain procedures, improve its quality of life and much more.

The most important inventions in history

The microscope

This device allows you to observe objects that are impossible to detail with the naked eye, and even just to notice.

This invention was created by Zacharias Janssen in 1590. In 1665 the microscope appeared in William Harvey's work on blood circulation thanks to his observation of capillaries.

The Agriculture

One of the greatest inventions in history was agriculture, dating back more than 10,000 years.

Its invention marks the passage from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic, so it implies a determining factor in the evolution of humanity: it was essential to guarantee the survival of men, as well as their organization into groups.

The plow

Along with agriculture, the plow was a working tool that transformed the life of the species, which drove it to become sedentary and meant an economic and social change.

The first plows were driven by men. It is known that it was approximately in the year 3000 a. C. when oxen were used for this task.

Writing

It is the quintessential way for the human species to transmit information. Her invention dates back to 4000 BC. C., since from that time there is evidence of symbolic systems that are considered a proto-writing.

History begins with writing, as it is the only way to have a record of what happened; the period before its invention is considered to be prehistoric.

The wheel

Various investigations allow us to affirm that it is one of the most significant inventions in the history of man, because thanks to this invention the human species has been able to manufacture machinery and transport itself, among many other things.

This invention dates back to 3500 BC. C., although there is a record that civilizations such as the Incas and Aztecs could live perfectly without having wheels under their belt.

The Abacus

This rudimentary contraption was the first way humans had to do arithmetic and calculations. Its origin dates back to the year 2700 BC. C. in ancient Mesopotamia.

Print

One of the great inventions in the history of mankind has been the printing press, as it revolutionized the world by becoming a way of multiplying knowledge.

It is known that between 1041 and 1048 a first movable type printing system was invented in China, since a rice paper already existed.

However, the best known mechanism was the one devised by the German Johannes Gutenberg, who around 1444 created the modern printing press. This meant a cultural evolution.

Gunpowder

Gunpowder is known to have been invented in China in the 9th century when they tried to create a potion for immortality and, accidentally, came to this material.

Gunpowder was widely used by the Chinese military forces. Its use spread throughout the Middle East and Europe.

The watch

Since ancient times, various types of clocks were known: water, sundial, among others; for example, the Egyptians used these clocks to measure the movements of the sun.

It is known that the first person who thought of designing pocket watches was Pedro Bell from Nuremberg.

The compass

Before its creation, the position of vessels in the open sea was calculated according to the location of the celestial bodies.

The compass is known to have been invented in China around the ninth century and consisted of a magnetic needle that simply floated in a vessel.

The steam engine

Its invention meant an industrial revolution thanks to the fact that it is a mechanism that allows moving machines and devices thanks to the fact that it is a motor that transforms the thermal energy of water into mechanical energy.

Thanks to his contribution, he underpinned the economic growth of England and the United States, mainly during the late 18th and mid-19th centuries.

The car

After the invention of the steam engine, the creation of the automobile transformed the economy and society: now everyone had the possibility to transport themselves in a personal vehicle. The first automobile is known to be the Karl Benz Motorwagen, created in 1885.

The Telegraph

The world became interconnected for the first time thanks to the invention of the telegraph, when the Germans Gauss and Weber managed to install about a thousand meters of telegraph line to link the university with the astronomical observatory in Göttingen, in 1833.

The phone

To further facilitate communications, the telephone was born. It is traditionally claimed that its inventor was Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.

However, the reality is that Graham Bell was the first to patent the invention, since in 2002 the United States Congress approved a resolution stating that its inventor was Antonio Meucci, who due to economic limitations could only make a description of his creation, which he called by telephone, without presenting it to the patent office.

The phonograph

Thomas Alva Edison, Eldridge R. Johnson, and Emile Berliner invented the first device capable of reproducing recorded sounds.

On November 21, 1877 Edison reproduced the piece Maria had a little lamb (Mary had a little lamb) when he showed his contraption.

The coke

Pharmacist John S. Pemberton wanted to make a cough syrup and made what would become the best-selling drink in the world.

He quickly realized that this concoction could be very successful, so he entrusted his accountant Frank Robinson with the creation of the brand and logo. This is how Coca-Cola was born.

In 1891, The Coca-Cola Company was born. The secret formula is kept in a bank in Atlanta, although in 2013 Times magazine revealed that the recipe was already public knowledge, even several media reproduced it although the company denied it.

Cinema

It was in 1895 when the Lumière brothers made the first public screening. They showed the departure of some factory workers, the demolition of a wall, the arrival of a train and the departure of a ship.

This invention had a timid reception until Georges Méliès invented the cinematographic spectacle completely removed from the documentary tone of the Lumière, thanks to his fantastic films such as Faust and Blue Beard.

With Voyage to the Moon (1902) and Voyage Through the Impossible (1904), he explored various cinematographic techniques.

The bulb

In 1897, Thomas Edison designed a complete system consisting of wires, generator, and incandescent bulb to provide illumination.

This improved the quality of life of people who began to take advantage of the night thanks to light, which translated into benefits on the productivity of the industry.

X-rays

In 1901 the physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of X-rays, thanks to the fact that with this technology doctors were able to see bones and other structures of the body in their living patients, a feat for the time and that today in day is still being used.

The plane

By accident, in 1926 the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming realized that in a Petri dish full of bacteria, when accidentally opened, Penicillium fungi formed that killed the bacteria.

Thanks to this discovery, the world of medicine was revolutionized and hundreds of drugs were created capable of fighting infections and deadly diseases.

The birth control pill

Although it is known that in ancient times the Egyptians already used a kind of condom, it was until 1930 that the pill was developed.

This little pill brought important advances in people's lives, not only by improving their sexuality but also by becoming an effective birth control as a measure to curb overpopulation.

Computer

It is undoubtedly one of the inventions with the greatest impact in the history of mankind. Its creation cannot be assigned to a single person since it is a series of evolutions of an idea.

It was in 1940 that the first modern computers made their appearance with the creation of the Z1, devised by the German engineer Konrad Zuse. This machine was programmable through a perforated tape and used the binary system.

The disposable diaper

Inventor Marion Donovan in 1946 decided to solve the lives of women who had to struggle to clean their children's cloth diapers, this is how she set out to create a diaper that was waterproof using the cloth of a parachute.

His invention was sold on the Saks on Fifth Avenue. Although it was in June 1951 that he got the patent, he continued to investigate to make it more waterproof.

A decade later he managed to establish contact with Procter & Gamble, with which he managed to improve diapers and create the Pampers as they are known today.

Seatbelt

With the aim of reducing deaths from motor vehicle accidents, in the 1950s Ford introduced this belt as safety equipment.

However, its standard and massive mounting was implemented with the 1959 Volvo Amazon, whose seat belt already had three points. Volvo released the patent for the model to be implemented in all cars.

The laser beam

Although there are reports of various scientific advances that gave rise to the laser, its invention is attributed to Theodore Maiman, who built the first ruby ​​laser in 1960.

However, as its creation was not published in time in the journal Nature, other scientists also advanced in parallel on this issue and in 1960 Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow patented the laser. In 1969 it was used for the first time industrially in automobile welding.

Internet

Its origins date back to 1969, when the first interconnection of computers was known at three California universities in the United States.

This connection was called ARPANET and numerous investigators of the Department of Defense of the United States collaborated. This team formed the basis of what the internet was until the 1990s.

The mobile or cell phone

The first mobile phone was designed by engineer Martin Cooper for the Motorola company. The team was called Dyna-Trac, it weighed about two kilos and its battery only lasted about 35 minutes.

The first call was made by Cooper to his competition, the Bell Labs company, to tell him that the cell phone already existed. Currently more than half of the world's population has a mobile phone in their hands.

Viagra

The year 1996 was an important moment in the sexual life of humanity with the accidental discovery of the effects that Sildenafil Citrate had on erectile dysfunction when the action of sildenafil on angina pectoris was being investigated. In 1998 it was the first pill approved by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction.

Other essential inventions

The ax: it is one of our first working tools that was used for hunting, war and domestic activities.

The spear: it allowed us to defend ourselves and attack our prey.

The bow and arrow: they allowed us to reach our prey at a long distance.

The dress: allowed us to survive in inhospitable weather conditions.

Cave painting: it allowed us to express our ideas and leave an important inheritance to future generations.

The flute: the oldest musical instrument, it allowed us to develop not only an artistic expression, but we use it for hunting as a way to synchronize teamwork.

The house: allowed us to survive the conditions of the Paleolithic.

The boats: they allowed us to sail the seas and venture to other lands.

Manual pottery: it allowed us to store food and drinks. Later it was used for rituals and as a decorative element.

The pottery wheel: it allowed us to improve the quality of ceramics. Pottery allowed man to make all kinds of utensils.

The rope: it allowed us to develop hunting and domestic activities. The use of rope and other objects is related to the domestication of animals.

The needle: it allowed us to improve our dresses, which were not only pieces of skin, but could also be shaped and adjusted in size.

The wheel: it revolutionized the movement, since the first carriages and carts were built on it.

Carriages: Horse-drawn carriages were first used in the Bronze Age.

The alphabet: the alphabet allowed man to express abstract ideas, which was not possible with the use of pictograms alone.

Papyrus: It was invented in Ancient Egypt. This new material was replacing the clay or clay tablets that were used for writing.

The musical notes: they were apparently invented by the Sumerians; together with the flute he contributed to the artistic development of the human being.

The coins: the oldest have been found in the territories of Lebanon and Syria. In time bartering, which was used throughout the previous period, became an outdated practice.

The sword: it was invented as a means of attack and defense for war. Before there were only knives, which were more used for hunting. The oldest swords date back to 1200 BC

Glass: in the territory of Lebanon the oldest evidences of this material have been found, which allowed us to create objects that were previously only made of clay or bone.

Scissors: invented in 750 BC They were used to cut materials and skins.

Warships: this invention is also associated with the Phoenicians, being used for the first time in battles in the Mediterranean Sea.

The catapult: it was used for the first time in the wars between the Greek polis in the 5th century BC. This weapon allowed to destroy the enemy's weapons from long distances.

The gear: it was created in Ancient China in the 4th century BC This element plays an important role in engineering mechanisms.

The Arch Bridge: inventing during the Roman Republic, improved the usual bridge.

The wheelbarrow: invented in the Han Dynasty. This tool was used as a means of transporting cargo.

The seismometer: the invention is attributed to the Chinese Zhang Heng, who also lived during the Han Dynasty.

Negative numbers: in the second century AD negative numbers were also invented in China, which enriched positive numbers.

The crank: the first signs that have been found of its use are located in Asia Minor.

The turbine: in the III-IV century the turbine was invented in the African territories of the Roman Empire.

The fishing rod: it was invented in China according to the historical source Life of Famous Immortals.

Public lighting: it was first installed in Syria in the 4th century AD

Toilet paper: In the 6th century AD, the Chinese official Yan Zhitui (during the Sui Dynasty) tells about hygienic customs in China.

Greek fire: according to historical sources, it was invented by Kallinikos.

Money Notes: During the Tang Dynasty in China, paper money was invented, which at first was only an equivalent to coins. It was invented as a security measure to avoid carrying real money.

Porcelain: Although today southern China is considered the center of porcelain production, it is interesting that this art did not arise in that region, but in the north.

The university: the first university was organized in Morocco. Then the European Universities would be founded, which have become the center of science.

Algebra: algebra was developed in Syria and the concept of zero in India.

Fireworks: Invented during the Song Dynasty in China.

The ambulance: In the eleventh century in Lebanon and Israel the ambulance was invented due to the crusades.

The sailor compass: invented in 1119 in China. This and other Chinese discoveries allowed the development of navigation.

The rocket: in the XIII century in China the rocket was already known. However, scientists believe that it was invented much earlier.

The torpedo: invention of Hasan al-Rammah.

The mine: developed during the Song Dynasty.

The glasses: in 1286 in Italy they were used for the first time. It should be noted that eyewear manufacturers played a very important role in the invention of the telescope and the microscope.

The explosive bomb: During the Jin Dynasty in Manchuria this device was invented.

The hand cannon: like the explosive bomb, it was developed around the same time.

The traditional cannon: by 1326 the traditional cannon was already known in China during the Ming Dynasty.

Jacob's rod: also known as ballastera, it is used to measure the altitude of the celestial bodies.

The Naval Mine: First described in a manuscript by Jiao Yu.

The rifle: its invention and expansion date back to the 15th century.

The berbequí: invented in the County of Flanders, being an important carpentry tool.

The arquebus: it was possibly invented in Spain.

The parachute: invented during the Renaissance by Leonardo da Vinci.

The use of dial: John Davis described its use in the book Seaman's secrets.

The revolver: invention of Hans Stopler.

The newspaper: thanks to the printing press, Johann Carolus was able to develop it.

The telescope: it is attributed to one of these inventors: Hans Lippershey, Zacharias Janssen or Jacob Metius.

The Slide Rule: Invented in 1630 by William Oughtred.

The calculator: Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, which was the first calculator.

The barometer: it was invented by Evangelista Torricelli or Gasparo Berti.

The vacuum pump: in 1663 Otto von Guericke developed this invention that he developed from chemistry.

The piano: invention of Bartolomeo Cristofori.

The thermometer: invented in 1709 by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. He also developed a system for measuring temperature.

The Refrigerator: Invented in 1755 by William Cullen.

The balance: invented in 1770 by Richard Salter.

The air compressor: Invented in 1776 by John Wilkinson.

The hot air balloon: Invented in 1783 by Joseph-Ralf and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier.

The Vaccine: Developed in 1798 by Edward Jenner.

The paper machine: invented in 1799 by Louis-Nicolas Robert.

The electric battery: developed in 1800 by Alessandro Volta.

The internal combustion engine: in 1807 Nicéphore Niépce invented one of the bases of cars and means of transport in general.

The photoelectric cell: in 1839 Edmond Becquerel described the photovoltaic effect and developed the first photoelectric cell. This technology lays the foundation for the development of solar energy.

The fuel cell: developed in 1842 by William Robert Grove.

The Hydraulic Accumulator: Invented in 1850 by Sir William Armstrong.

Color photography: developed in 1855 by James Clerk Maxwell.

The airship: in 1900 the first zeppelin is designed by Theodor Kober.

The diode: In 1904, John Ambrose Fleming invented the diode. This little item is part of all electrical appliances.

The tank: designed by Ernest Swinton in 1915.

FM radio: Invented by Edwin Armstrong in 1933. Radio was for a long time one of the most important means of communication.

The transistor: developed in 1945 by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain under the supervision of William Shockley.

The laser: Invented in 1960 by Theodore Maiman.

The ARPANET: It was developed by UCLA, SRI, UCSB, and The University of Utah in 1960.

Pocket calculator: developed in 1970 in Japan.

References

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4. "10 inventions that changed history" in History. Retrieved March 24, 2019 in History: ve.tuhistory.com
5. "The 10 Inventions that Changed the World" (June 2017) in National Geographic. Retrieved March 24, 2019 in National Geographic: nationalgeographic.com