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The world's 30 most important inventions ever

Inventions that changed the course of history
The sailboat: Ancient Mesopotamia, 6000 BC
The wheel: Unknown, 4000-3500 BC
The nail – Ancient Egypt, 3400 BC
Soap: Ancient Mesopotamia, 2800 BC
The abacus: Ancient Mesopotamia, 2700 BC
The compass: China, 206 BC
Paper: China, 105 BC
Gunpowder: China, 142
The mechanical clock: China, 725
The printing press: Holy Roman Empire, 1440
The thermometer: Republic of Venice, 1612
The modern steam engine: England, 1698
The refrigerator: Scotland, 1755
The computer: England, early 19th century
The electric telegraph: England, 1816
Photography: France, 1816
Modern anaesthesia: USA, 1842
Modern oil refining: Scotland, 1848
The internal combustion engine: France, 1859
The telephone: USA/Canada, 1876
The light bulb: USA, 1879
The car: Germany, 1886
The radio: Italy, 1895
The aeroplane: USA, 1903
Modern air conditioning: USA, 1902
Penicillin: England, 1928
The transistor: USA, 1947
The contraceptive pill: USA, 1950s
The cell phone: USA, 1973
The World Wide Web: Switzerland, 1989
IanDagnall Computing/Alamy Stock Photo

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Matt Bradfield

28 November 2024

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