One brilliant invention has the ability to change the world overnight. Without the innovation to create such simple inventions as the wheel, and the pointed stick we may not be as advanced as we now are. Where would we be today if not for world changing inventions?. Inventions over time took us from living in caves, and hunting for food, living in houses and farming millions of animals at a time world wide. Our tribes eventually turned into countries, and small conflicts turned into large scale wars. Whether for good, or for worse, here are 10 world changing inventions.
Atom Bomb
Nazis almost invented the atom bomb before America did. In 1939 Albert Einstein and other scientists wrote to President Roosevelt and warned him that the Nazi’s were attempting to build an atom bomb. This was when America started The Manhattan Project. Robert Oppenheimer is the man who oversaw the creation of the Atom bomb and it’s most well known creator. Hiroshima was the first city to ever be hit with an atom bomb, it caused widespread devastation the likes of which no one had ever seen, and Japan quickly surrendered afterwards. Ever since then more and more countries have attained nuclear weapons, and if one country were to use theirs it could set off a chain reaction that ended the world.
The wheel
Before the wheel transporting, and travelling was done entirely on foot, or on horses. Horses were fine for travelling individuals but when it came to cargo, it became a lot more difficult. One horse can only carry so much while still being ridden. When the wheel was invented we were able to create carts, that could be filled with cargo and pulled by horses. The weight wasn’t on top of the horse which meant more cargo, or people could be transported with a single horse. Surprisingly though it wasn’t the invention of the wheel which is impressive, but the attaching the wheel to a cart that changed the world. The wheel was one of the first world changing inventions.
Compass
Before the compass sailors had little ways of navigating at sea, and reaching your destination by boat was incredibly dangerous. Getting lost at sea was more than common, and travelling by boat was a huge risk. The compass is magnetic device invented in 206 BC in the Chinese Han Dynasty. Strangely the compass was at first used as a spiritual device to gain insight from god, it was used for navigation until the song dynasty in 11th century. Thanks to the compass people could more safely travel by sea, making trade between countries easier, and leading to the discovery of new land.
The printing Press
The Printing press was one of the first ways humans were able to mass spread information across an entire country, and so effective it’s been used by every country ever since. Even with the advent of the internet newspapers are still read by millions worldwide. it was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. Books could be copied and spread to millions of people, giving people all over the world access to information they never had before. The invention started in a small print shop in Mainz to over 270 cities in Central, Western, and Eastern Europe by the end of the 1400’s.
The Steam Engine
The Steam was the first way humans could power things without depending on primary power sources like wind, or horses. Steam engines would used to power factory machinery, auto mobiles, boats, ships, and trains. The steam engine was invented by the Greek scientist hero of Alexandria hundreds of years ago, although they had no idea what it’s potential uses were and only used it as a novelty for entertainment. It wasn’t until two scientists in the 1700’s invented a large steam engine that could be used to flood water out of coal mines. Eventually steam locomotives were used to pull trains, which was the fastest and most effective form of transportation the world had ever seen.
Telephone
One of the most widely used world changing inventions is the telephone. When the telephone was first invented people wouldn’t answer it by saying hello, they would say “Ahoy, ahoy.” The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, his invention was officially patented in March 1876. The telephone allowed voice communications to be sent over copper wires. The phone obviously revolutionized communications, and now they have gotten so big that you’d have trouble finding someone who doesn’t own one in a first world country. Phones allow us to communicate with people all over the world, where as before it could take months for someone to receive a letter from you they can now have it almost instantly.
Automobile
Karl Benz is the engineer who invented the world’s first auto mobile. The auto mobile would quickly become available to most Americans and Europeans thanks to the businessman Henry Ford. Auto mobiles made it so that you could travel across an entire country in only a matter of days, instead the weeks it would have taken before. People could now work far away fro home, and still get there on time. Contrary to trains which only ran at certain times, went to specific places and could be full up before you get a ticket. Cars could be used at any time, and go anywhere as long as you top it up with fuel.
Lightbulb
It’s hard to list world changing inventions without mentioning Thomas Edison. Before the light bulb there were only two sources of light, the sun and candles. Houses would often have many windows, and normally had one in every room. At night people would light candles, which were dangerous and could lead to house fires if people weren’t careful. Light bulbs work by sending electricity through a wire known as a filament. Heat and light is released and trapped inside the glass. Gas lamps were also available before the light bulb but they were ore dangerous. The light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879 although he wasn’t the first to try.
Airplanes
The first air plane took flight in 1903,North Carolina. The plane was invented by the two brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright. Orville piloted it’s first flight where it flew over 120 feet in only 12 seconds. There first design was built in 1900 and didn’t do very but their second one a year later had improved significantly. In the same year they tested over 200 wings and air frames of different shapes and designs. By 1902 they had solved the problem of controlled flight and went on to solve powered flight. They attached an a combustion engine with over 10 horse power to the plane and set off. The first attempt at powered flight failed but three days later they finally accomplished their goal, flying over 120 feet in 12 seconds, and putting their names in the history books forever.
Gun powder
Gun Powder was invented in china and changed the world in many ways. It lead to the invention of guns which changed warfare completely, and left any who didn’t adopt them almost guaranteed to lose a battle against them. Even the samurai who prized their katana eventually resorted to using guns so they wouldn’t be taken over by enemies with superior weapons like America. It was first developed by the tang dynasty from 618 AD to 907 AD, and is known as one of the four great inventions of China. Knowledge of gunpowder spread throughout the old world because of Mongol conquests of the 13th century. Gun powder was used in warfare from the 14th century and efficient firearms were invented in the 15th century. Gun powder is thought to have been invented by Chinese alchemy. You may have already notice it but this list of world changing inventions is in no particular order, otherwise the wheel would be number one.