Top 10 Remarkable American Inventions That Changed the World
#10: E-mail (1971)
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E-mail revolutionized the way human beings communicate around the world. The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, or ARPANET, sent the first email in 1971. Programmer Ray Tomlinson pioneered the use of the “@” symbol as well, creating a standard for email directionality. Within five years, the majority of communications at ARPANET were via e-mail. With the advent of attachments in 1992, emails became the easiest and fastest way to send information from point to point. By the start of the 21st century, email became one of the primary tools for global communications. E-mail allowed people from all over the planet to communicate with the click of a mouse.
#9: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (1970s)
It’s impossible to measure the impact of the MRI machine on the world of medicine. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance has been around in one form or another since the end of World War II. But two doctors in the late 1960s and early 1970s saw the potential to revolutionize medicine forever. Doctors Paul Lauterbur and Raymond Damadian separately experimented with NMR in scanning for cancer cells. By 1974 results of their experiments were published and a patent was filed. By 1977 the first full-body scanner was invented. There is no way to calculate the number of lives saved by the MRI machine, but it’s easily in the millions. Lauterbur’s contributions to MRI development won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2003.
#8: Interchangeable Parts (1798)
Standardized interchangeable parts for machines is not a new idea. There is evidence that ancient Carthage used them for their warships thousands of years ago. The Qin Dynasty used them for crossbows in ancient china. The military of 18th century France attempted to follow their example, to limited success. French experimentation with interchangeable musket parts inspired Thomas Jefferson in 1785. He pressed his fellow Americans to follow suit. In 1798, President George Washington and his Congress came through. They awarded a contract to Eli Whitney to provide the government with 12,000 muskets. After his death, Whitney’s arms company perfected the process. Interchangeable parts are now a staple of modern manufacturing. They allow for quality control, cost control, and the speedy manufacture of goods.
#7: Personal Computers (1971)
The first general purpose computer, EINAC, was invented in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania. It took up 1800 feet of floor space and weighed 30 tons. At the time, it would have been impossible to envision a consumer-grade computer small enough to be available in every home. Within a single generation, though, that impossible dream became a reality. Thanks to the microprocessor, computers could be made smaller, cheaper, and more powerful than EINAC’s creators could ever imagine. John Blankenbaker invented Kenbak-1, the first PC, in 1971. Fewer than 50 models of the Kenbak-1 were ever built. Fifty years later, personal computing has shaped the modern world.
#6: GPS (1973)
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When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, American physicists realized they could track its radio transmissions thanks to the Doppler effect. The U.S. military saw great value in this technology. By 1968, their TRANSIT system utilized a network of 36 satellites for global positioning. It was one of several systems in existence. In 1973, the Department of Defense launched a project to synthesize various tracking systems. By 1978, the military began to launch and test modern Navstar GPS satellites. President Regan approved commercial use of GPS in 1983. By the start of the 20th century, GPS devices were incorporated both into civilian vehicles and phones. Today, it is an essential technology for navigation, business, and military operations.
#5: The Light Bulb (1879)
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Bringing light to the masses was one of the greatest technological leaps in human history. The mid 1800s saw great competition in this space, as inventors around the world raced to invent the electric light. The first filament bulb was created by British inventor Warren de la Rue in 1840. His use of a platinum filament made it expensive and impractical. Joseph Swan in the UK and Thomas Edison in the U.S. each independently invented bulbs using cheaper filaments. Edison received a patent on his bulb in early 1880, a little before Swan. The light bulb, an invention that could light up every home, revolutionized life around the world. It led to the development of the electrical grid and set the stage for our modern, electricity-dependent society.
#4: The Telephone (1876)
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In this modern era of “text first, calling is passé,” it can be hard to remember that the telephone was a big deal. Scottish transplant Alexander Graham Bell invented the electric telephone in 1876. The phone’s predecessor, the telegraph, only transmitted brief written messages. The telephone, however, allowed people to speak with one another in real-time over long distances. It was a game-changing technology that sped up the efficiency of business and could instantly connect people globally. Emergencies could be reported to authorities as they occurred. The telephone effectively shrunk the world and sped it up. While Bell was Scottish-born and also lived in Canada as well as the U.S., he patented his invention in the U.S.
#3: The Assembly Line (1901)
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For the majority of human history, manufactured goods were custom made. Every model of a machine, good, piece of clothing, or tool was in some way unique. Interchangeable parts standardized products, allowing for easier and cheaper manufacturing. In 1901, automobile manufacturer Ransom Olds took it a step further with the assembly line. By standardizing and automating many aspects of manufacturing, uniform goods can get created faster and at lower costs. Olds’ vehicle, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, was the first mass produced car ever made. Olds’ method was adopted and perfected by Henry Ford with his Model T in 1913. Today, the assembly line combines human labor and automation to create virtually every mass produced product on earth.
#2: The Airplane (1903)
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People have always observed birds and insects and dreamed of flight. The Greeks spoke of Icarus and Daedalus and their wax and feather wings. Leonardo DaVinci theorized and sketched a flying machine. But it wasn’t until 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina that the airplane came to life. Wilbur and Orville Wright experimented with aeronautics for four years until their successful flight. Within a decade, their invention was first used in warfare. Within seven decades, their technology evolved and took us to the moon. Today, the airplane is an indispensable technology. The plane lets us transport goods and people around the world quickly. We once fought wars over goods and trade. Today, the plane allows trade to flow freely all over the planet. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Hearing Aids (1895) This Invention Helps People with Hearing Loss Communicate & Reconnect with the World Cardiac Defibrillators (1930) Thanks to This Invention, Hearts around the World Can Get a Jump Start When They Need One 3D Printing (1986) The Potential Applications of This Young Technology Are Endless
#1: The Internet (1969)
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The most revolutionary technologies of human history are notable for making the world smaller. The wheel, the sail, the internal combustion engine, the telephone, and the airplane all revolutionized travel and communication. But the internet gives people access to the entirety of human existence with just a few keystrokes. In 1969, researchers at the Advanced Research Projects Agency created the first network between labs at UCLA and Stanford. Over time their network expanded further and further, standardizing protocols and connecting anyone with a device. The internet has revolutionized the way human beings share information. For both good and ill, communication and access to resources are better now than at any other time in history. Did we miss a quintessential American invention? If a flash of inspiration hits you, let us know in the comments below!
