The past century has had a lot of innovations that have changed the way we live our lives. Whether it is a new technology, new products, or new ways of doing things, the past century has introduced many changes that have made life more comfortable and easier for many people.
1. Internet
The internet is one of the most significant innovations of the 20th century. It has revolutionized the way we communicate, interact with each other, access information and so much more. It is hard to imagine life without it now. In fact, the World Wide Web was invented in 1989 and went online in 1991.
Internet technologies have allowed everyone to take part in knowledge-sharing and information dissemination on a global scale like never before. There are now an estimated** 4 billion **people with Internet access worldwide. And with Internet penetration rates rising, that number will be increasing exponentially soon as the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible to those who need it most: people living in developing countries who are just coming online for the first time!
2. Paper
The invention of the paper machine in the 19th century has completely transformed paper making.
The first paper machine was built in 1812 by Nicholas-Louis Robert. It was able to produce 400 sheets per hour, and this invention led to a huge decrease in the price of paper. The development of new machines allowed for more production with less effort which made it accessible to everyone.
Paper is such an important part of our lives today that it’s hard to imagine what life would be like without it. From schoolwork, jotting down notes, writing letters, and reading books, we use paper daily and so if there were no more trees we would have to find another material for our everyday needs.
3. Gunpowder
Gunpowder has been used in many different ways throughout history. it was first discovered in China and was mainly used for fireworks and other purposes. It was later used as a weapon during the medieval period and by the 18th century, it had been accepted as a major component in weaponry development. Gunpowder has been linked with many different aspects of culture and civilization, each one coming with its own set of pros and cons.
4. Electricity
Electricity innovations of the past century have fueled our modern world. We've gone from light bulbs to generators, transformers, and power lines. Throughout history, there have been technological breakthroughs that have increased the availability and reliability of electricity.
5. Penicillin
Penicillin is one of the most effective antibiotics in the world. It is used to fight bacterial infections, but has been largely replaced by more advanced antibiotics. This is because penicillin has a narrow range of effectiveness and it can be misused by bacteria that are resistant to it.
Phase I: In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, but at first he didn't know what its uses were.
Phase II: In 1939, Howard Florey and Ernst Chain took Flemings' findings and conducted experiments on animals to determine what penicillin could do for humans. They discovered that penicillin was not only an antibiotic but also an antiseptic.
Phase III: That same year they had their first human trial with a boy with a severe infection from a rare species of a rat bite.
6. The Light Bulb
We have seen many innovations that have changed the way we live our lives. For the most part, these innovations are driven by technological advances. As a result, new products and services seem to be invented every day.
We can see that since the last century there has been significant innovation in the product of light bulbs. In addition to this, we have seen advancements in light bulb design that make them safer and more efficient than ever before.
7. The Printing Press
The Printing Press is one of the most important inventions in history, and it has had a significant impact on society.
The first major innovation with the printing press was that it could print text horizontally instead of vertically like hand-copying. This made books more accessible because people no longer needed to be literate to read them, and it drastically reduced the cost of books. The second important innovation was that printing presses were able to print multiple pages at once, which meant they could mass-produce materials like pamphlets, as well as newspapers and magazines.
The printing press has had an enormous impact on society. When Gutenberg invented it in 1450, knowledge became more accessible than ever before with the invention of printed media such as books and newspapers. It also helped economic development by reducing the cost of books and newspapers for people who didn't have access to them before.
8. Pottery
In the 20th century, craft potters made many innovations in pottery to accommodate new needs.
In 1918, Hans C. Andersen and Otto Freund developed a process for making salt-glazed stoneware that had a very smooth surface. This led to the invention of dinnerware and other household items made from this material.
In 1928, Frederick Rhead invented a way of making ceramics with colored glazes on the inside of the piece as well as on the outside which is known as "lead-free" porcelain. This also enabled them to make large pieces with intricate designs that would have been impossible before the term ceramic ware is used for these types of ceramics products while porcelain ware refers to non-lead products only. In 1948, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) banned the use of lead in the manufacture of children's dishes, cups, and eating utensils after it was found that lead poisoning could cause brain damage.
9. The Wheel
The wheel has been a major innovation in the past century. The invention of the automobile, aviation, and spacecraft all began with a need for the wheel.
The invention of the automobile was spurred by the invention of the wheel and is still heavily reliant on its existence for function. Vehicles use tires to turn wheels which are then connected to an engine. Without wheels, there would be no way for vehicles to move or even exist!
The airplane is also heavily reliant on wheels as they are used in every single part of flight - from takeoff and landing to taxiing, parking, and maintenance. In fact, an airplane would not be able to take off without its four main tires!
Lastly, there would be no spacecraft if it weren't for one thing - wheels! They play a crucial role in every
10. Fire
Fire is one of the most important innovations of the past century. From cooking to heating to protection, fire has been an essential part of human life. Here are some important fire innovations that have changed how we live.
- Fireplaces: The first fireplace was installed in the White House in 1817 and was made from marble. In 1901, electric fireplaces were invented and became much more popular than their wood-burning counterparts because they were easy to use, clean up after, and gave off a warm glow.
- Fire alarms: The first commercial alarm was invented in 1898 by Edwin Holmes who worked with George Fisher for their company Brinkmann Manufacturing Company (currently known as Honeywell). It's estimated that 90% of all homes have a working fire alarm system installed and there are about 40 million household fires per year in the United States.