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Period: 1 CE to
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The evolution of technology since the year 1 CE/AD. -
50
Aeolipile
The long forgotten aeolipile, an early steam turbine, was invented sometime before the year 50 AD in Alexandria, Egypt. -
105
Paper
Paper, the thin sheet used for writing, was invented in Ancient China during the Han dynasty. Paper is still widely used today. -
118
Wheelbarrow
The wheelbarrow, a tool used to help carry heavy loads, was invented in ancient China during the Han dynasty. The wheelbarrow is a tool that is still used today, mainly for gardening and construction. -
220
Woodblock Printing
Woodblock printing, the early method for printing and copying text and images, was invented in ancient China during the Han dynasty. -
275
Algebra
Algebra, the broad category of mathematics, was invented by Ancient Babylonians in the 3rd century. Algebra has been expanded over centuries and is still learned today. -
350
Crystalized Sugar
Ancient Indians discovered the process to crystalize sugar during the Gupta dynasty. They developed the technology to mass produce crystalized sugar from sugar cane. -
400
Hydrometer
The hydrometer is a tool used to measure the density of liquids. This device was a scientific advancement in Alexandria of ancient Egypt. -
477
Horse Collar
The horse collar is a tool attached to the harness of a horse that distributes the load onto the horse's shoulders. This innovative way to move heavy loads was invented in the Jin dynasty of ancient China. -
550
Carpets
Originally made to make sitting more comfortable, carpets are believe to have been made somewhere in the Middle East. This early technological advancement is still used today for a large number of purposes. -
620
Chess
Chess is a popular game that tests strategy and intelligence of the player. This technological advancement in the world of entertainment was created in ancient India during the 7th century. -
700
Folding Fan
The folding fan serves a purpose of decor or noble accessory in modern day. In ancient Japan, this advancement served as a sort of portable and miniature air conditioner, cooling the ancient Japanese in the 8th century. -
800
Distillation
The distillation of water was invented in Alexandria, Roman Egypt. This technological advancement allowed for clean drinking water and variations of it are still used today. -
850
Gunpowder
Gunpowder is a mix of chemical substances used for many purposes, such as firearms or rocketry. This technological advancement surfaced during the Tang dynasty of ancient China. -
868
Printed Books
Printed books first surfaced during the Tang dynasty of ancient China. This advancement served as a new way to teach, learn, and document information, proving to be a strong technological innovation. -
950
Windmill
The first windmills were used by ancient Persians to grind grain, pump water, and more. This technological advancement made the process of farming much simpler and easier. -
997
Paper Money
Paper money was first developed on the Song dynasty of China. This advancement simplified currency, as the production of paper money is cheaper and less complicated than using gold or silver. Paper money is still used today. -
1000
Toothpaste
Early evidence of toothpaste dates all the way back to the year 1000. This technological advancement is a large step in the direction of personal hygiene. -
1125
Compass
Early compasses were developed during the 12th century in China. Compasses were a large step in the field of navigation, and are still used frequently today. -
1185
Chimney
Chimneys were developed during the 12th century in Southern Europe as a way to remove smoke from buildings. Chimneys were a useful development and are still found on most houses to this date. -
1195
Fishing Reel
The first fishing reel was invented during the Song dynasty of China, and expanded around the world relatively quickly. This technological advancement made fishing easier and simplified the process of retrieving food. -
1232
Rockets
Rockets were first developed during the Chinese Song dynasty through the use of gunpowder. Rockets expanded quickly to the Mongols and throughout the rest of the world. Rockets have evolved and grown over centuries to much larger levels. -
1268
Optical Lenses
Optical lenses were invented in Italy during the 13th century. These lenses were a technological advancement in the field of health, as they improved the eyesight of wearers. -
1270
Mechanical Clock
The mechanical clock was invented late in the 13th century in Europe and allowed for people to tell the time much easier. The mechanical clock set a standard for telling time for many centuries to come. -
1364
Firearms
Firearms were most likely developed in China and evolved the use of rockets and gunpowder. This advanced the capabilities of humans and the functions of war. -
1440
Printing Press
The printing press was developed during the 15th century in China. The printing press advanced the process of printing and copying text, allowing text to be manufactured at a much larger rate. -
1582
Gregorian Calendar
The Gregorian Calendar originated in Europe and expanded across catholic Europe and across the rest of the world. This development advanced how we tell time and track the year, as the calendar is still used today. -
Pendulum Clock
The pendulum clock was invented by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. This clock improved on previously used clocks and limited the loss of time tremendously. -
Steam Engine
After about 100 years of development, three British inventors completed the steam engine in England. The steam engine made powering machines easier and more efficient. -
Sextant
The sextant, a tool used in astronomy, was developed in England by two independent inventors. The sextant uses mirrors to measure distant between objects and to measure elevation. -
Cotton Gin
The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney in the newly formed United States of America. This invention revolutionized the farming and production of cotton, allowing cotton to be produced much easier. -
Vaccinations
Doctor Edward Jenner developed and used the first vaccination in England in 1796. This technological advancement advanced medicine and would be evolved for many years to come. -
Battery
Professor Alessandro Volta invented the battery in Italy at the beginning of the 19th century. This development made powering machines much easier. Batteries would evolve and still are used today. -
Railways
Railways were invented by inventor George Stephenson in England in the year 1804. This development would make transportation much easier, as locomotives would become a prosperous form of travel in years to come. -
Steamboat
American inventor Robert Fulton is credited with the invention of the steamboat while working in France. This boat used the steam engine to make transportation across water faster and easier. This is an important technological advancement in the industrial age soon to come. -
Bicycle
The bicycle was invented by German Baron Karl von Drais as he worked in Germany. Biking made short distance travel easier, and became a popular activity for leisure. -
Cement
Cement was developed by Joseph Aspdin in Portland, England. Cement offered a quicker, simpler, and better looking alternative for the construction of buildings. -
Photograph
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took the first ever photograph in France in 1826. The photograph was an important technological development as it was the first time the real world was captured in an image. -
Combine Harvester
The combine harvester was invented by Hiram Moore and John Hascall in Michigan, United States. This invention made farming much simpler and quicker, and revolutionizing the production of farmed goods. -
Plow
John Deere developed the first ever steel plow in Illinois, United States. This invention improved on wooden plows, as they were less likely to break. This made farming much easier. -
Telegraph
Carl August Steinheil developed the first telegraph line along a railway in Munich, Germany. This advancement made communication quicker and easier, as it now could be done over long distances. -
Sewing Machine
Elias Howe developed the sewing machine in Massachusetts, United States. This technological advancement made the making of clothes easier, quicker, and cheaper. The sewing machine revolutionized the making of clothes in later years, -
Dishwasher
The dishwasher was invented in Illinois, United States. This invention used water pressure to clean dishes, revolutionizing cleaning processes for late years. -
Oil Drilling and Oil Refining
The first oil drill was made in the United States, while oil refining was made in Romania. The drilling and use of oil is important as it is used for fuel in machines and lighting. This was an important technological development in an industrial age. -
Internal Combustion Engine
Étienne Lenoir created the first ever internal combustion engine in 1860. This engine uses chemical fuel as energy to power the engine and the machines they are in. -
Typewriter
Christopher Latham Sholes, Frank Haven Hall, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule developed the typewriter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1868. This invention made the production of text much easier and modernized the way press is written. -
Semiconductors
Semiconductors were initially developed in 1874, and they are capable to partially conduct electricity. This technological advancement allowed for many inventions to be made in the future. -
Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell is credited with the invention of the telephone in Illinois, United States in 1876. This invention improved upon the telegraph and made communication easily and faster over longer distances. -
Light Bulb
The light bulb was made by Thomas Edison in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Not only was this the first form of electric light, but it was one of the first time electricity was controlled. This invention remains one of the most important technological advancements in history. -
Steam Turbine
Charles Parsons created the steam turbine in Ireland in 1884. This creation allowed electricity to be made more easily, as well as controlled more easily. -
Gasoline Automobile
Nikolaus August Otto patented the first ever gasoline powered automobile, and Karl Benz produced one in 1886. This invention would be expanded by Henry Ford, and would grow exponentially to where cars are today. -
Refrigerator
The first refrigerator was invented during the year 1899 and available for domestic use before 1913. This technological advancement expanded how we eat and store food, and would evolve to greater levels in the future. -
Air Conditioning
Willis Haviland Carrier invented the first air conditioning system in 1902 while working at a printing plant in Brooklyn, New York. This would become an important development for the future of humanity and the construction of buildings. -
Airplane
The famous Wright brothers developed their first ever airplane in the year 1903. This invention revolutionized transportation, especially cross country or across bodies of water. -
Radio
The first ever radio was developed and invented beginning in the late 1890s and finishing in 1906. The use of radio waves improved communication and the use of electricity and technology. -
Talking Motion Picture
The first ever talking motion picture was made in New Jersey, United States by Thomas A. Edison. This was the first time that sound was paired with video. This opened doors to new possibilities for technology in the future. -
Assembly Line
Henry Ford is well-known for his development of the assembly line in a Ford Motors plant in Michigan. This advancement made the building of machines quicker and easier, increasing productivity in factories. -
Robot
The first ever robot to be developed was created in the year 1921. This robot functioned poorly, but opened doors for possibilities in the future. Robots would further evolve in the future. -
Television
Philo Farnsworth successfully demonstrated electronic television in San Francisco, in 1927. This development would become a widely used object, now seen as a necessity in modern homes. -
Penicillin
In 1928, at St. Mary's Hospital, London, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. This discovery was the first ever use of antibiotics, and would become a crucial development in the medical community. -
Radar
The first ever radar was made in the US Naval academy in Washington D.C.. This invention would become a fundamental part of modern warfare and modern technology. -
Computer
The first ever electronic computer can be dated all the way back to 1936 at the University of Pennsylvania. Since then, computers have been further developed to be more powerful and smaller in size. Computers are a fundamental part of the modern world and one of the greatest technological advancements in history. -
Nuclear Fission
The process of nuclear fission was first discovered in the University of Berlin in 1939. This process was found to generate astonishing amounts of energy, and would later be developed as a prominent energy source in nuclear plants. -
Atomic Bomb
The atomic bomb was developed in 1945 by a group of scientists during WWII. The bomb is most well known for its use on Japan by the United States at the end of the pacific theatre. This bomb displays the technological powers of humans and the possibilities of nuclear energy. -
Credit Card
The firs credit card was developed and used in New York City, New York. This marks a new way of using currency and marks an economic turning point in the United States. -
Cell Phone
The first ever cell phones were developed by researchers in the 1970s. These phones were the first ever portable phones, and they would evolve to become smarter within the next few decades. -
CD
Sony developed the first ever CD in 1979, presenting a new way to store technological information. The CD would long remain a part a society, as they are still used in the modern day. -
Internet
The project that started in 1968 finally concluded in 1983, as the internet was complete. The internet allowed computer to be able to connect over a broad network. This expanded knowledge and the storage and availability or information. -
Macintosh
Developed by Steve Jobs in California during 1984, the Macintosh served a large role in the expanding of the internet and technology. This was a revolutionary computer in its use of the internet and available uses. -
Portable GPS
The first ever portable GPS system was finished in the year 1990. This system improved navigation and made travel simpler. These can now be found in most cars on on most phones, as portable GPS has become an integral part of society. -
Email
Inventor Ray Tomlinson developed email at the end of the 20th century. This development increase the ease and efficiency of communication as the world entered a digital age. -
Smartphone
The first ever smartphone was produced long before the recognizable iPhone. It was made by IBM in 1992 and would serve as inspiration for future smartphones. -
DVD
DVDs' first launched in Japan in 1997. DVDs' are discs containing video, such as movies, television shows, or home videos. DVDs have become more and more popular since their release. -
Google
Google was founded in September 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California. Google transformed people's accessibility to information o the internet through a uniform search platform. -
Flash Drive
Pua Khein-Seng, a Malaysian engineer, has been recognized by some as a possible inventor of the flash drive. The flash drive changed the way we store information, primarily in the digital age. -
iPhone
The iPhone was developed by Apple in 2007. The iPhone is considered the standard for smartphones, and the iPhone is the first modern smartphone. It contained a touch screen display, apps, and more. -
Venmo
Venmo was founded by Andrew Kortina and Iqram Magdon-Ismail, roommates at the University of Pennsylvania. This company changed how currency is used, as this is the first form of online payment. -
Bitcoin
Invented by an anonymous person, Bitcoin was first made in 2009. Bitcoin changed the way payment works throughout the world, as it is the first fully virtual currency. -
CRISPR
CRISPR is a revolutionary technology that presents a never before seen technological advancement. CRISPR is a tool used to edit genes and modify genomes, changing genes that have never before been changed. -
Artificial Intelligence
Modern artificial intelligence was made in 2017 and has expanded to all corners of society. It is in our phones, cars, and more. Artificial intelligence opens doors to many possibilities for the future of technology.
