Inventions

The breakthroughs and gadgets — accidental and deliberate — that changed everyday life.

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Technology Inventions

The barcode was first sketched as lines in Florida beach sand

75 sec read

Technology Inventions

The implantable pacemaker was born when an engineer grabbed the wrong resistor

70 sec read

Technology Inventions

The microwave oven was invented after a candy bar melted in an engineer's pocket

70 sec read

Technology Inventions

The first computer mouse was a wooden box with two metal wheels

70 sec read

Technology Inventions

Wi-Fi was born from a failed search for exploding black holes

70 sec read

Technology Inventions

Post-it Notes came from a glue that was too weak to work

45 sec read

Technology Inventions

Velcro was invented by copying the burrs that stuck to a dog's fur

45 sec read

◆ On this day

On this day in Inventions

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7 Mar 1876

Technology Inventions

Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone

45 sec read

6 Jan 1838

Technology Inventions

Samuel Morse demonstrates the telegraph

50 sec read

11 Feb 1847

Technology Inventions

Thomas Edison is born in Milan, Ohio

45 sec read

14 Feb 1876

Technology Inventions

Bell files his telephone patent

40 sec read

21 Feb 1947

Technology Inventions

Edwin Land demonstrates the instant camera

45 sec read

23 Feb 1455

Technology Inventions

The Gutenberg Bible is finished

40 sec read

24 Feb 1938

Technology Inventions

The first nylon-bristle toothbrush goes on sale

45 sec read

26 Feb 1935

Technology Inventions

Radar gets its first proof in a field near Daventry

45 sec read

10 Mar 1876

Technology Inventions

The first intelligible telephone call summoned an assistant

45 sec read