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Electricity (lightbulb)
The lightbulb is a little outside the time frame we were given but it is so important that I made the executive decision that it was stil worth including. We would still be living in a world of darkness without this invetion. -
The Assembly Line
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antibiotics
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The Microchip
Invented by Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, the microchip made the invention of personalized computers possible. It was so vital to the success of future technologies because of it's drastic reduction in size from the previous systems with a significant amount of large and active elements. Given where we are now, it is hard to imagine a time when computers took up entire roomswith their servers. Without the microchip, many of the technologies we carry in our backpack would not exist. -
Jet Airliner
The Jet Airliner is one of the most important technological advancements of the last 100 years because of the wide ranging impact it has had on the world. Although, airplanes had existed before the jet airliner, they were not available for public use. The commercialization of air travel is something that has impacted all of us and has brought together people from all across the world. -
The VCR
The first Videocassette Recorder available to the "domestic user" was released by Philips in 1963. This was a revolutionary tool because it gave the average person the ability to record what they are watching the tv. This has had a huge impact on copyright laws even today as pirating continues. -
The Smoke Detector
The first battery powered in home smoke detector was introduced in 1969 and as a result deaths related to house fires have significantly declined. This invention has lead to the creation of battery powered carbon monoxide detectors and other (invisible and odorless and deadly gas) -
First Personal Computer
Hewlett Packard introduced the first desktop all-in-one computer in 1972 to the market, however their target audience was primarily scientists and engineers not the general population. At the time, this personal computer would set you back $5975. -
The iPhone
The first iPhone was released in June 2007 and revolutionized the celular phone market. Before then, it had been an amazing feat to even have a color screen on one's flip phone. The iPhone changed the market for cell phones and paved the way for future inventions, like their very own iPad which was invented in 2010. -
The Automobile
The mass production of the American automobile began in 1902 with Ransom E. Olds' "Oldsmobile" contrary to popular belief that it was Henry Ford, though he did popularize the concept and expand as well as refine the development of the assembly line and the automobile itself. The car has become a staple for travel around the world and completely replaced the horse and buggy travel that was popular at the time of its introduction.
