Living History Worldwide

As you watch TV, drive down the street in your automobile, and check the latest social media updates on your smartphone, you may take for granted how so many inventions have changed the world you live in. After all, these gadgets and conveniences haven’t always existed. Did you know that your grandmother and great-grandmother more than likely had to wash clothes by hand? Thanks to so many awesome inventions, life has been made easier and more ways than one.

1. Motion Picture

Who hasn’t heard of Hollywood? Hollywood is the land of famous actors and actresses who make a living from the “make-believe” they portray on screen. The art of motion pictures allows regular people to escape for a couple of hours in a movie theater, or these days online as they enjoy a movie of their choice. However, there wasn’t always such a thing as a movie or motion picture.

There isn’t one main inventor credited for creating what we call a movie or motion picture. Its concept goes back to the 19th century when various filmmakers and inventors contributed to its development. The notable inventors who played a role in its creation include August and Louis Lumiere, Thomas Edison, and Edward Muybridge. These inventors took a series of still photographs and made them move with the devices they created.

The art form initially took off in black-and-white films known as Silent Pictures. Then what was known as the “talkies” came about which allowed silent movie stars like Greta Garbo to be heard for the first time. Fast forward to 2023, and you no longer have to go to a movie theater, as you can now sit at home or on your phone and watch a film from Netflix, Hulu, and many other streaming services. The Art of the Motion Picture has seen its latest technological innovation with live streaming video solutions that allow people to broadcast themselves live from anywhere in the world.

2. Internet

The kids born in this generation and future ones may find it hard to believe that the Internet is a relatively newer invention. The Internet is a global computer network that provides nonstop information and communication facilities. You can access such information on the Internet by way of your computer, cell phone, or other technological devices. The Internet was created as late as the 1970s so the government could connect with various computer networks worldwide. Today, anyone can get on the Internet, at school, work, or in the comfort of their home.

Thanks to the Internet, data center management is a big business. With so many computers constantly connecting, advertisers pitching to new customers, and content producers producing new content, the World Wide Web is a nonstop source of content that needs to be stored somewhere. This makes it a great field to get into!

3. Square Rigging

Have you ever taken a yacht charter? If so, you may be surprised how awesome inventions have gone into your ability to be on such a boat. It took many years of trial and error to perfect a square-rigged sail. A square rig sail is characterized by its aptly named square-shape. The design allows the wind to push on it from the back and it propels the boat forward. Marine time inventors continued to perfect this method of sailing as ships grew larger. One adjustment included increasing the mast height by overlapping a second lighter mast above the lower one.

Such adjustments made it easier for ships to be able to sail longer distances. As a result, it was able to connect different countries and cultures. It allowed more exploration, trade, and discoveries. While this type of sail is no longer the standard, it was a forerunner before boat engines developed into what we see today. That’s why is one of the world’s awesome inventions

4. Movable Type

Do you love curling up on your couch or chair with a good book? Isn’t it great to be able to go into a bookstore or an Amazon and order as many books as you wish, since they’re readily available? While most people get most of their News Online these days, there was a time when the newspaper was standard and printed every morning. Books, newspapers, and magazines are all the babies of the parent known as movable type.

Movable type is a system in which printing uses movable components to constantly reproduce a document. Thanks to this system, books and other documents no longer have to be reproduced by hand. The earliest known printing technology goes back to AD 1040 during the Northern Song Dynasty. In 1450, Johannes Gutenberg introduced the metal movable-type press in Europe, which allowed faster page setting. He published the Gutenberg Bible in 1455 and paved the way for the printing agency field.

Movable type is among the most awesome inventions created because it allowed easy decimation of knowledge. It led the way to books no longer being so rare, and only something that the rich could access. It also helped to make languages more formal and standardized since it created consistent spelling and letter forms that everyone could access. It also allowed history to be further passed down and documented since it no longer had to rely only on oral tradition. Eventually, the creation of several fields, such as writers, newspaper producers, magazine professionals, and advertisers grew.

5. Cell Phones

If you were a child of the 80s, you remember a time when you had to be at home or in your office to receive a message from someone. That’s because you had to rely on a formal answering machine. The 80s also marked a time when having a car phone was among the decade’s awesome inventions and one only a select few had. Fast forward to 2023 and cell phones are now commonplace amongst a range of cultures, countries, and age groups. Today, cell phones are so small they can fit right in your pocket and even on a watch.

Thanks to cell phones, people can stay in constant communication with each other by way of voice, conversation, text, and e-mail. In other words, you no longer have to wait by the phone at home or in your office to get an important message from someone. Cell phones have paved the way to not only constant communication but also created a lucrative field by way of the mobile technology market.

Cell phone technology has proven to be lucrative for many people. Companies like Apple Computers have completely revolutionized the cell phone industry with the creation of the iPhone and its subsequent copycats from other companies. If you’re a property owner, you could benefit by signing a cell tower ground lease, which is an agreement with a wireless carrier to use your property to host a cell tower. As the country and the world at large continue to become more interconnected, creating more cell towers in rural and other sparse areas can help bridge the communication gap.

6. Electric Guitar

If you’ve ever heard Jimi Hendrix, Prince, or Eric Clapton play, It’s not hard to understand why the electric guitar is among the world’s most awesome inventions. The classic guitar is known for producing beautiful sounds used in several musical genres. However, when the electric guitar was created in 1931 by George Beauchamp and Aldorf Rockenbacker, it had a major impact on the world of music, pop culture, and style that continues to be felt today. It’s the main instrument you’ll see in music stores that many young people buy on their journey to become rock stars.

The electric guitar stands out from the classical guitar due to it’s amplification. In other words, the music from an electric guitar can be heard at a concert in a way that an unmiced acoustic guitar can’t. When it comes to genres, the electric guitar sound has had a major impact on the development of rock, heavy metal, and alternative music. Its impact is not only felt, but a sound that it produces in general, but also due to the standout iconic performances that it’s been a part of. After all, this instrument has allowed showmen like Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince to show what one can do when performing live.

7. Automobile

While walking is great exercise, there’s nothing like driving in your car and get from point A to point B quickly. That’s why the automobile is among the world’s most awesome inventions. Since people no longer had to rely on horse-drawn buggies or being restricted to a local area, the automobile gave human beings freedom like never before. While the automobile was originally invented and perfected in France and Germany in the late 1800s, it was Henry Ford who made it way more accessible to the common person.

The 1901 Mercedes vehicle was the first modern motor car, and it was designed by Wilhelm Maybach, while J. Frank and Charles Duryea designed the first successful American gasoline car in 1893 in the US. But he’s awesome. Inventions and automobiles came about. It was Henry Ford, whose innovations like the Ford Model T and the production line allowed cars to be produced faster and cheaper. As a result, these cars became more accessible to Americans around the country.

Today’s cars are so valuable that the art of auto salvage is quite a lucrative field. It’s the process of reusing and recycling parts from vehicles that have reached the end of their life cycle. Whether it’s unusable transmissions, engines, body panels, or other internal components, they’re then made available for purchase to people or repair shops who need alternatives for new parts.

8. Penicillin

When discussing awesome inventions that have saved lives, you can’t forget about the revolutionary effects of the discovery of penicillin. This antibiotic agent was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. According to the BBC, penicillin was the first effective antibiotic that could kill bacteria. As a result, a doctor had something they could use to treat serious illnesses in people. This agent is highly effective against a range of bacteria, so it’s versatile in treating many different infections, especially those of the respiratory tract or even sexually transmitted ones.

The discovery of penicillin was revolutionary because it also paved the way for the development of other antibiotics. These days, going to the pharmacy or getting a prescription from your doctor for antibiotics is commonplace. Before penicillin, it wasn’t so easy, and many people died from illnesses that are readily treated today by its discovery.

9. Lightbulb

There’s nothing like lighting candles for a romantic mood or ambient effect. What if you had to rely on candles instead of calling an electrician for all your lighting needs? Well, that was the way of life before the invention of one of the most awesome inventions ever, the light bulb. While many people automatically give credit to Thomas Edison for the light bulb, it was a cumulative effort by different inventors.

In addition to Edison, other inventors such as Henry Woodward, Matthew Evans, and Sir Joseph Swan were among the many people who made significant impacts on its creation over time. Nikola Tesla also made significant contributions to electrical engineering. Today, the light bulb can come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.

10. Asphalt Shingle

When it comes to the material often associated with American housing, asphalt shingles are what your average roofers would name. This type of roofing is so popular because it’s easy to install and affordable. It also comes in a range of colors and styles. Regardless of your home design, you could find asphalt shingle roofing that could fit your aesthetic preferences. The shingles can withstand various weather conditions and are easily replaceable by your local roofer. This versatile and popular roofing material was created by Henry Reynolds in 1903 but gained steam in 1911.

Now you understand some of the most awesome inventions created and how they made your life easier. Take a look around you and understand how life could have been way different one or 200 years ago for you. The world continues to evolve, and these same inventions continue to evolve with it.