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Flying Shuttle - John Kay
The flying shuttle helped make weaving faster and easier. This was the basis for many other weaving inventions made during the Industrial Revolution. They can still be used today, but that's rarely the case. -
Spinning Jenny - James Hargreaves
While invented in 1764 (no clear month), Hargreaves patented his invention on July 12, 1770. His invention made weaving faster; it wove 8 threads instead of the traditional one thread that a spinning wheel made. They are not often seen today, but similar wheels are used in the hobby industry. -
Watt Steam Engine - James Watt
Watt's steam engine was meant to waste less steam than previous engines. Today, his invention has been made more efficient and is used in (some) automobiles. -
Water Frame - Richard Arkwright
The water frame was another development for the textile industry. It would spin thread and yarn using water power. Today, this invention is retired. -
Spinning Mule - Samuel Crompton
The spinning mule was essentially a combination of the spinning Jenny and water frame. This is why it was named the spinning "mule." Modern versions of this invention are still used today in the textile industry. -
Steam Locomotive - Richard Trevithick
The steam locomotive helped move freight and people by powering trains through steam power. It's normally not used today except for in the Union Pacific 844 train. -
Steam Locomotive - George Stephenson
Stephenson did not create the steam locomotive, but he did add on to Trevithick's original invention. He made the creation more efficient. -
Steamboat - Robert Fulton
The steamboat's use is directly in its name: it uses steam to power the boat. Fulton first used this invention on the Clermont. Although they are not actually used for tasks today, they are still used as tourist attractions. -
Bessemer Steel Production Process - Henry Bessemer
This process was the first to make mass steel production inexpensive, which is why it was so popular. Even though it cut costs, it had many harmful effects (like the lining) that have since stopped its use. -
Pasteurization - Louis Pasteur
Pasteurization uses heat to kill microorganisms. Today, it is still used in the dairy industry. -
Electric Light Bulb - Thomas Edison
Edison gave us the gift we cannot live without today: the light bulb. He made it light up using electricity. This invention is still prevalent in everyday life today. -
Alternating Current - Nikola Tesla
Tesla's alternating current helped describe how electricity works. Without this, we most likely wouldn't have figured out how to advance electricity as far as we have today. This is still used in some fields where it's necessary.
