Timeline of historic inventions
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Note: Dates for inventions are often controversial. Inventions are often invented by several inventors around the same time, or may be invented in an impractical form many years before another inventor improves the invention into a more practical form. Where there is ambiguity, the date of the first known working version of the invention is used here.
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[edit] Paleolithic era
Main article: Paleolithic
Further information: Evolution of human intelligence and Synoptic table of the principal old world prehistoric cultures
- Indeterminate: Music, Language
- 2.4 Ma BP: Olduwan - struck stone tools, in East Africa
- 1.65 Ma: Acheulean - struck and reworked stone tools, in Kenya
- 1.4 Ma: Knife in Ethiopia
- 1 Ma: Controlled fire and sterilization of food and water (cooking) in East Africa[citation needed]
- 500 ka: Shelter construction [1]
- 100-500 ka: Clothing[citation needed]
- 400 ka: Pigments in Zambia [2]
- 400 ka: Spears in Germany [3]
- 200 ka: Burial in Africa[citation needed]
- 140 ka: Bone tools in Africa (see Blombos Cave)
- 60 ka: Ships probably used by settlers of New Guinea[citation needed]
- 60 ka: Bow[4]
- 43 ka: Flute in Slovenia (disputed)[5]
- 43 ka: Mining in Swaziland and Hungary[citation needed]
- 37 ka: Tally sticks in Swaziland [6]
- 36 ka: Cloth woven from flax fiber[7][8]
- 35 ka: Flute in Germany[9]
- 30 ka: Sewing needles[citation needed]
- 28-22 ka: Ceramics in Moravia (see Venus of Dolní Věstonice)
- 28-17 ka: twisted Rope[10][11]
- 12 ka: Basket weaving[citation needed]
[edit] Antiquity
[edit] 10th millennium BCE
- Agriculture in the Fertile Crescent (see Neolithic Revolution)
- Alcoholic beverages in the Fertile Crescent
- Adobe building material in the ancient Near East
[edit] 9th millennium BCE
- 8700 BCE: Metalworking (copper pendant) in Mesopotamia (Iraq)
[edit] 8th millennium BCE
[edit] 7th millennium BCE
- 7000 BCE: Dental drill in Mehrgarh, Indus Valley Civilization[12]
- 6200 BCE: Map in Çatalhöyük (see History of cartography)
[edit] 6th millennium BCE
- Irrigation in the Fertile Crescent
- Beer in Sumer, Mesopotamia (Iraq)[13]
- City in Mesopotamia (Iraq)
- Plough in Mesopotamia (Iraq)
[edit] 5th millennium BCE
- Wheel and axle combination in Mesopotamia (potter's wheel)
- Beer and bread in Egypt
- Bow drill in Mehrgarh, Indus Valley Civilization[14]
- Ice skate in Scandinavia[15]
- Sailing in Mesopotamia[16]
- Arsenical bronze metalwork: Iran[17]
[edit] 4th millennium BCE
- 4000 BCE: Canal in Mesopotamia (Iraq)
- 4000 BCE: Stone paved street in Ur, Mesopotamia
- 3807-3806 BCE: Timber-engineered roadway in England
- 3630 BCE: Silk in China
- 3600 BCE: Free-standing Masonry Architecture at Ġgantija, Gozo, Malta
- 3500 BCE: Plywood in Egypt[citation needed]
- 3500 BCE: Carts in Sumer (see Bronocice pot)
- 3300 BCE: Writing in Sumer
- 3100 BCE: Drainage in the Indus Valley Civilization (India/Pakistan)
- 3000 BCE: Reservoir in Girnar, Indus Valley Civilization[18]
- Comb in Persia (Iran)
- Cement in Egypt
- River boats in Egypt
[edit] 3rd millennium BCE
- 2800 BCE: Soap in Mesopotamia
- 2800 BCE: Button in the Indus Valley Civilization (India/Pakistan)
- 2800 BCE: Bathroom in the Indus Valley Civilization[19]
- 2800 BCE: Toilet in Mohenjo-daro, Indus Valley Civilization[19]
- 2700 BCE: Plumbing in the Indus Valley Civilization[19]
- 2700 BCE: Sanitary sewer in the Indus Valley Civilization[19]
- 2700 BCE: Sewage collection and disposal in the Indus Valley Civilization[19]
- 2630-2611 BCE: Step pyramid: Imhotep in Egypt
- 2600s BCE: Papyrus: Imhotep in Egypt
- 2600s BCE: Suture: Imhotep in Egypt
- 2600s BCE: Pharmaceutical cream: Imhotep in Egypt
- 2600 BCE: Chariot in Mesopotamia
- 2500 BCE: Arch in Mohenjo-daro, Indus Valley Civilization[20]
- 2500 BCE: Puppet in the Indus Valley Civilization[21]
- 2500-1900 BCE: Furnace in Balakot, Indus Valley Civilization[22]
- 2500-900 BCE: Oven in Balakot, Indus Valley Civilization[22]
- 2400 BCE: Shipyard in Lothal, Indus Valley Civilization
- 2400 BCE: Dock in Lothal, Indus Valley Civilization[23]
- 2400 BCE: Ruler in Lothal, Indus Valley Civilization[24]
- 2000 BCE: Currency
- Dice in the Indus Valley Civilization[25]
- Dye in Mohenjo-daro, Indus Valley Civilization[26]
- Public bath in Mohenjo-daro, Indus Valley Civilization[27]
- Aqueduct in ancient Egypt and Indus Valley Civilization
- Candles in Egypt
- Dagger in Near East
- Sickle-sword in Sumer
- Alphabet in Phoenicia
- Ink in China
- Sledges in Scandinavia
- Ski in Scandinavia[13]
- Noodle in China
[edit] 2nd millennium BCE
- Iron in Anatolia, Caucasus and India
- Perfume: Tapputi in Mesopotamia
- Bronze Age sword in Mesopotamia
- Glass in Egypt[28]
- Rubber in Mesoamerica
- Spoked-wheel chariot: Indo-Iranians
- Water clock in Egypt
- Iron Age sword Proto-Celtic
- Bells in China
- Fork in China[29]
- Umbrella in Mesopotamia
- Calibration in the Indus Valley Civilization[30]
- Metrology in the Indus Valley Civilization[30]
- Tin-glazing in Mesopotamia[31]
- 1900 BCE: Veterinary medicine in ancient Egypt and Vedic India[32]
- 1500-400 BCE: Kabaddi in India[33]
- 1000s BCE: Coins in China
- 1000 BCE: Lens in Assyria
- 1000 BCE: Central heating: Ondol in Korea[34]
- 1000 BCE: Underfloor heating: Ondol in Korea[34]
[edit] 1st millennium BCE
- 1000 BCE: Dike in the Indus Valley Civilization[35]
- 750 BCE: Celestial spheres in ancient Greece[36]
- 700s BCE: Button in Ancient Greece, Etruscan civilization[13]
- 700 BCE: Chain pump in Babylonia
- 600s BCE: Latin alphabet in Ancient Rome
- 600 BCE: Chopsticks in China
- 592 BCE: Anchor in ancient Greece[37]
- 500s BCE: Dental bridge in Etruria
- 500s BCE: Kite: Lu Ban in China
- 500s BCE: Maps in ancient Greece[38]
- 500s BCE: Plastic surgery: Sushruta in India
- 500s BCE: Rhinoplasty: Sushruta
- 500s BCE: Cataract surgery: Sushruta[39]
- 500 BCE: Iron plough in China
- 500-100 BCE: Big-toe stirrup in India[40][41]
- 499-477 BCE: Horse collar in China[42]
- 475 BCE: Scythed Chariot: Ajatashatru in India
- 400s BCE: Linguistics: Pāṇini in India[43]
- 400s BCE: Traction trebuchet in China
- 400s BCE: Catapult in ancient Greece[44]
- 400s BCE: Cast iron in China
- 400s BCE: Crossbow in China
- 350 BCE: Water wheel in India[45]
- 350 BCE: Watermill in India[45]
- 300s BCE: Noria in India[45]
- c. 300 BCE: Wootz steel in India[46]
- 300 BCE: Crucible steel in India[47]
- 300s BCE: Roman aqueduct in ancient Rome[48]
- 300s BCE: Compass in China
- 300s BCE: Star catalogues: Gan De and Shi Shen
- 300s BCE: Encyclopedia: Speusippus in ancient Greece[13]
- 300s BCE: Screw: Archytas
- 300s BCE: India ink in India
- 300-100 BCE: Blast furnace in China
- 300-100 BCE: Cupola furnace in China
- 300-100 BCE: Pig iron in China
- 200s BCE: Diamond gemstone in India[49]
- 200s BC: Clockwork escapement mechanism: Philo of Byzantium of Ancient Greece[50]
- 285 BCE: Suspension bridge in China
- 250 BCE: Lever in ancient Greece
- 210 BCE: Chromium use in China
- 200s BCE: Compound pulley: Archimedes
- 200s BCE: Odometer: Archimedes?
- 200s BCE: Archimedes' screw : Archimedes
- 200s BCE: Cashmere wool in India[51]
- 200s BCE: Contour canal: Shi Lu in China
- 200s BCE: Lock gate in China
- 200s BCE: Stupa in India[52]
- 200s BCE: Pagoda in India[52]
- 202-1 BCE: Bellows in China
- 200 BCE: Horseshoe in ancient Rome
- 150s BCE: Clockwork (Antikythera mechanism)
- 150s BCE: Astrolabe: Hipparchus
- 100 BCE: Glassblowing in ancient Rome[53]
- 100s BCE: Parchment in Pergamon
- 500 BCE: Heavy plough in China
- 100s BCE: Wheelbarrow in China[54]
- 100 BCE: Trip hammer in China
- 52 BCE: Armillary sphere: Geng Shouchang in China
- 40 BCE: Rolling-element bearing in Roman ship
- 21 BCE: Collapsable umbrella: Wang Mang[55]
- Cautery in Ancient Rome[56]
- Speculum in Ancient Rome[56]
- Cross-bladed scissors in Ancient Rome[56][57]
- Surgical needle in Ancient Rome[56]
- Catapult in ancient Near East
- South Pointing Chariot in China
- Differential gear in China and Greek island of Antikythera
- Flash lock in China
- Bookbinding in India
- Blowgun in India[58]
- Indigo dye in India[59]
- Iron pellet in India[58]
- Jute in Bengal[60]
- Prayer flags in India
- Toothbrush: Neem in India
[edit] 1st millennium CE
[edit] 1st-5th centuries
- 1-100 CE: Junk ship in China
- 1-100 CE: Junk rudder in China[61]
- 38 CE: Hydraulic-powered bellows: Du Shi
- 50 CE: Mouldboard plough in China and Gaul
- 77 CE: Encyclopedia (comprehensive work): Pliny the Elder[13]
- 78-139: Hydraulic-powered armillary sphere: Zhang Heng
- 100s: Lateen sail by Greco-Roman sailors[62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71]
- 100s: Steam power: Hero of Alexandria in Roman Egypt
- 100s: Vending machine: Hero of Alexandria
- 100s: Force pump: Hero of Alexandria
- 100s: Carding in India[72]
- 105: Paper: Cai Lun in China[73]
- 132: Rudimentary Seismometer: Zhang Heng in China
- 180: Rotary fan: Ding Huan in China
- 180: Winnowing fan: Ding Huan in China[citation needed]
- 200s: Kongming lantern (Hot air balloon) in China
- 200s: Horseshoes in Germany
- 200-400: Stepwell in India[74]
- Combination lock in Roman Empire[75]
- 300s: Corrosion-resistant iron: Iron pillar of Delhi in India[76]
- 300s: Toothpaste in Roman Egypt
- 300s: Crystallized Sugar in India
- 400s: Horse collar in China
- 400s: Cotton gin in India[77]
- Fore-and-aft rig in India[78]
- Kamal in India[79]
- Prayer wheel: Tibet[80]
- Three-masted merchant vessel in China[81]
- Woodblock printing in China
[edit] 6th-8th centuries
- 500s: Chaturanga, a precursor of chess: India[82]
- 500s: Pachisi, a precursor of Ludo: India[83]
- 500s: Incense clock in India[84][85]
- 589: Toilet paper: Yan Zhitui in China
- 605: Fully-stone open-spandrel segmental arch bridge: Li Chun in China
- 618-700: Porcelain in China
- 618-907: Water-powered rotary fan in China
- 673: Greek fire flamethrower: Kallinikos of Heliopolis
- 700: Quill pen
- 700-900: Charitable trust in the Arab Empire[86][87]
- 700s: Inoculation: Madhav in India[88]
- 721-815: Pure distillation: Geber[89]
- 721-815: Distilled alcohol: Geber[90]
- 721-815: Nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric, tartaric and citric acid, aqua regia, and concentrated acetic acid: Geber[91][92][93][94]
- 754: Pharmacy in Baghdad[95]
- 758-764: Tar pavement in Baghdad[96]
- 763-800: Psychiatric hospital: Bimaristan in Baghdad[97]
- 794: Paper mill in Baghdad[98]
- Dry distillation: Arabic chemists
- Distilled water: Arabic chemists[99]
- Petrol: Arabic chemists[100]
[edit] 9th-10th centuries
- 700-1000: Spinning wheel in India[101]
- 800-850: Mural instrument: Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī[102]
- 800-850: Sine quadrant: Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī[102]
- 800-850: Horary quadrant: Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī[102]
- 800-857: Under-arm deodorant: Ziryab[103]
- 800-857: Beauty parlour: Ziryab[104]
- 800-857: Chemical depilatory: Ziryab[104]
- 800-873: Automatic flute player: Banū Mūsā[105]
- 800-873: Programmable machine: Banū Mūsā[105]
- 800-873: Trick drinking vessels: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Gas mask: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Clamshell grab: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Fail-safe system: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Mechanical musical instrument: Banū Mūsā[107]
- 800-873: Hurricane lamp: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Self-feeding oil lamp: Banū Mūsā[106]
- 800-873: Self-trimming oil lamp: Ahmad ibn Mūsā ibn Shākir[106]
- 800s: Muslin in Dhaka, Bengal[108][109]
- 800s: Stonepaste ceramics in Iraq[110]
- 800s: Black powder in China
- 800s: Water turbine in the Arab Empire[106]
- 800s: Universal sundial in Baghdad[111]
- 800s: Universal horary dial in Baghdad[112][113]
- 800s: Vertical-axle windmill in Afghanistan[114]
- 800s: Naphtha in Azerbaijan[96]
- 800s: Oil well in Azerbaijan[96]
- 800s: College: Madrasah in the Muslim world[115]
- 800-1000: Wind powered gristmills in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran[116]
- 800-1000: Sugar refinery in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran[116]
- 800-1000: Metal block printing in Egypt[117]
- c. 800-1000: Switch: Arabic engineers[118]
- 801-1000: Municipal solid waste handling: Al-Kindi, Qusta ibn Luqa, Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi, Ibn Al-Jazzar, al-Masihi[119]
- 810-887: Glass from stones: Abbas Ibn Firnas in al-Andalus[120]
- 810-887: Clear colourless high-purity glass: Abbas Ibn Firnas[120][121]
- 810-887: Metronome: Abbas Ibn Firnas[122]
- 810-887: Artificial weather simulation: Abbas Ibn Firnas[122]
- 827: Mechanical singing bird automaton: Al-Ma'mun[123]
- 836-1000: Erectile dysfunction treatment: Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi, Thabit bin Qurra (Thebit), Ibn Al-Jazzar[124]
- 853-929: Observation tube: Muhammad ibn Jābir al-Harrānī al-Battānī (Albatenius)[125]
- 852: Parachute: Abbas Ibn Firnas in al-Andalus[126]
- 859: University: Fatima al-Fihri[127][128]
- 875: Hang glider: Abbas Ibn Firnas[122][129]
- 875: Artificial wing: Abbas Ibn Firnas[122][129]
- 875: Flight control frame: Abbas Ibn Firnas[122][129]
- c. 865-900: Kerosene: Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi (Rhazes) in Iraq[96][130]
- 865-925: Chemotherapy: Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi[131]
- 900s: Banknote in China
- 900s: Fire lance in China
- 900s: Gun in China
- 900s: Milling factory in Baghdad[132]
- 900s: Graph paper in the Arab Empire[133][134][135]
- 900s: Horizontal-axle windmill in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran[114]
- 904: Fire Arrow in China
- 919: Double-piston flamethrower in China
- 984: Pound lock: Qiao Weiyo
- 953: Fountain pen: Al-Muizz Lideenillah of Egypt[126][136][137]
- 960-1000: Restaurant in the Arab Empire[138]
- 994: Astronomical sextant: Abu-Mahmud al-Khujandi in Persia[139]
- 996: Geared mechanical astrolabe: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[140]
- Almucantar quadrant: Arabic astronomers[141]
- Navigational astrolabe: Arabic astronomers[142]
- Vertical sundial: Arabic astronomers[143]
- Polar sundial: Arabic astronomers[143]
- Shaving soap: Arabic chemists
- Reed level: Arabic engineers[144]
- Geared gristmill: Arabic engineers[145]
- Street lamp in the Arab Empire[146]
- Sherbet in the Arab Empire[147]
- Soft drink in the Arab Empire[147][148]
- Syrup in the Arab Empire[147]
- Mercury escapement mechanism in the Middle East
- Public library in the Arab Empire[149]
- Lending library in the Arab Empire[149]
- Library catalog in the Arab Empire[150]
- Firecracker in China
- Snakes and ladders in India
[edit] 2nd millennium
[edit] 11th century
- c. 1000: Hypodermic needle: Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili[151][152]
- c. 1000: Cataract extraction: Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili[151][152]
- c. 1000: Suction: Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili[151][152]
- 1000: Ligature: Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis) in Al-Andalus[153]
- 1000: Adhesive plaster: Abu al-Qasim[154]
- 1000: Curette: Abu al-Qasim[155]
- 1000: Retractor: Abu al-Qasim[155]
- 1000: Lithotomy scalpel: Abu al-Qasim[156]
- 1000: Surgical catgut: Abu al-Qasim
- 1000: Surgical hook: Abu al-Qasim[155]
- 1000: Surgical rod: Abu al-Qasim[155]
- 1000: Surgical spoon: Abu al-Qasim[155]
- 1000: Inhalational anaesthetic: Abu al-Qasim[96][157]
- 1000: Anaesthetic sponge: Abu al-Qasim[96][157]
- 1000: Oral anaesthesia: Abu al-Qasim[96][157]
- 1000: Cotton dressing: Abu al-Qasim[158]
- c. 1000-1020: Heliocentric astrolabe: Al-Sijzi[159]
- c. 1000-1037: Thermometer: Avicenna (Ibn Sina) in Persia[160]
- c. 1000-1037: Essential oil: Avicenna[161]
- c. 1000-1048: Orthographical astrolabe: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī in Persia[162]
- c. 1000-1048: Planisphere: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[162][163]
- c. 1000-1048: Laboratory flask: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[164]
- c. 1000-1048: Pycnometer: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[164]
- c. 1000-1048: Conical measure: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[165]
- c. 1000-1048: Geared mechanical lunisolar calendar analog computer: Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī[166]
- 1020: Mechanical astrolabe: Ibn Samh in Al-Andalus[167]
- 1021: Magnifying glass: Ibn al-Haytham[168]
- 1021: Pinhole camera: Ibn al-Haytham[169]
- 1021: Camera obscura: Ibn al-Haytham[169]
- 1021: Novel: Murasaki Shikibu[170]
- 1021: Historical novel: Murasaki Shikibu[171]
- 1021: Psychological novel: Murasaki Shikibu[172]
- 1025: Cancer therapy: Avicenna[158][173]
- 1025: Calcium channel blocker: Avicenna[174]
- 1025: Pharmacopoeia: Avicenna[175][176]
- 1028-1087: Equatorium: Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī (Arzachel) in Al-Andalus[177]
- 1028-1087: Universal astrolabe: Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī
- 1031-1095: Raised-relief map: Shen Kuo[178][179]
- 1038-1075: Flywheel: Ibn Bassal in Al-Andalus[180]
- 1041: Movable type printing press: Bi Sheng in China
- 1044: Hand grenade: Zhen Tian Lei in China
- 1087: Almanac: Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī[181]
- 1088: Mechanical clock: Su Song
- 1088: Clock tower: Su Song
- 1088: Magnetic compass: Shen Kuo in China
- 1090: Belt drive: Qin Guan in in China
- 1090: Chain drive in China
- 1092: Astronomical clock: Su Song
- 1094: Printed star chart: Su Song
- Calico in India[182]
- Coke fuel in China
- Complex gearing: Ibn Khalaf al-Muradi in Al-Andalus[183]
- Epicyclic gearing: Ibn Khalaf al-Muradi in Al-Andalus[183]
- Segmental gearing: Ibn Khalaf al-Muradi in Al-Andalus[183]
- Geared mechanical clock: Ibn Khalaf al-Muradi in Al-Andalus[183]
- Weight-driven mechanical clock: Arabic engineers[183]
- Clear glass mirror in Al-Andalus[96]
[edit] 12th century
- c. 1100: Framed bead abacus in China
- 1100-1150: Torquetum: Jabir ibn Aflah (Geber)[184]
- 1100-1161: Tracheotomy: Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) in Al-Andalus[185]
- 1119: Watertight hull compartment: Zhu Yu in China
- 1126: Fire arrow: Li Gang in China
- 1126: Rocket: Li Gang in China
- 1128: Cannon in China[186]
- 1135-1200: Linear astrolabe: Sharaf al-Dīn al-Tūsī in Persia[187]
- 1150: Homing pigeons in Iraq and Syria[188]
- 1187: Counterweight trebuchet: Mardi bin Ali al-Tarsusi[189][190]
- 1187: Mangonel: Mardi bin Ali al-Tarsusi[191]
- 1190: Mariner's compass in Italy[192]
- Astrolabic quadrant in Egypt[193]
- Ventilator in Egypt[194]
- Bridge mill in Al-Andalus[195]
- Hydropowered forge in Al-Andalus[116]
- Finery forge in Al-Andalus[116]
- Central heating through underfloor pipes in Syria[196]
- Fireworks in China
- Sunglasses in China
[edit] 13th century
- c. 1200: Glass mirror in Europe[13][197]
- 1206: Bolted joint lock[106]
- 1206: Flow control regulator: Al-Jazari
- 1206: Elephant clock: Al-Jazari
- 1206: Hand washing device: Al-Jazari
- 1206: Kitchen appliance: Al-Jazari
- 1206: Camshaft: Al-Jazari[198]
- 1206: Segmental gear: Al-Jazari[199]
- 1206: Reciprocating, double-action suction piston pump: Al-Jazari[200]
- 1206: Humanoid robot: Al-Jazari[201]
- 1206: Programmable robot: Al-Jazari[201]
- 1206: Programmable analog computer: Al-Jazari[202]
- 1206: Automatic gate: Al-Jazari[203]
- 1206: Laminate: Al-Jazari[106]
- 1206: Mechanical template: Al-Jazari[106]
- 1206: Paper model: Al-Jazari[106]
- 1206: Sand casting: Al-Jazari[106]
- 1206: Emery powder: Al-Jazari[106]
- 1206: Crankshaft-driven chain pump: Al-Jazari[204]
- 1206: Hydropowered saqiya chain pump: Al-Jazari[205]
- 1206: Intermittent working: Al-Jazari[204]
- 1232: Rocket launcher in China
- 1235: Geared astrolabe with analog computer calendar: Abi Bakr of Isfahan[206]
- 1259: Research institute: Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī[207]
- 1259: Observatory institution: Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī[207]
- 1260: Hand cannon in Egypt[91][208]
- 1260: Explosive gunpowder in Egypt[91][208]
- 1260: Cartridge in Egypt[208]
- 1270: Pure saltpetre: Hasan al-Rammah of Syria[91][208]
- 1274: Siege cannon: Abu Yaqub Yusuf[208]
- 1275: Torpedo: Hasan al-Rammah of Syria
- 1275: Restaurant menu in China
- 1277: Land mine: Lou Qianxia in China
- c. 1296: Astronomical compass: Yemeni sultan al-Ashraf[209]
- 1297-1298: Wooden movable type printing: Wang Zhen of China [210]
- Crankshaft-driven screw: Arabic engineers[211]
- Crankshaft-driven screwpump: Arabic engineers[211]
- Sandpaper in China
- Solid-fuel rocket in China
- Condom in Italy
- Buttonhole in Germany[13]
- Snakes and ladders in India[212]
[edit] 14th century
- 1304-1375: Astrolabic clock: Ibn al-Shatir[213]
- 1304-1375: Compendium instrument: Ibn al-Shatir[143]
- 1304-1375: Compass dial: Ibn al-Shatir[214]
- 1350: Rope bridge in Peru
- 1355: Bombard: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Booster: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Matchlock: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Multistage rocket: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Naval mine: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Round shot: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Shell: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1355: Wheellock: Jiao Yu and Liu Ji
- 1371: Polar-axis sundial: Ibn al-Shatir[215]
- 32-point compass rose in the Arab world[216]
- Katana in Japan
- Musket in China
- Spherical astrolabe in the Middle East
[edit] 15th century
- 1400-1429: Plate of conjunctions: Jamshīd al-Kāshī[217][218]
- 1400-1429: Planetary analog computer: Jamshīd al-Kāshī[218][219][220]
- 1405-1433: Troopship: Zheng He
- 1405-1433: Treasure ship: Zheng He
- 1441: Rain gauge: Jang Yeong-sil
- 1450s: Alphabetic movable type printing press: Johannes Gutenberg
- 1451: Concave lens for eyeglasses: Nicholas of Cusa
- 1490-1492: Terrestrial globe: Martin Behaim
- 1494: Double-entry bookkeeping system: Luca Pacioli
- 1498: Bristle toothbrush: Hongzhi Emperor
- Iron-chain suspension bridge in China
- Arquebus in Europe
- Rifle in Europe
[edit] 16th century
- c. 1500: Ball bearing: Leonardo Da Vinci
- c. 1500: Scissors: Leonardo Da Vinci
- 1540: Ether: Valerius Cordus
- 1551: Steam turbine: Taqi al-Din in Ottoman Egypt[221]
- 1559: Six-cylinder pump: Taqi al-Din[222]
- 1565: Pencil: Conrad Gesner[13][223]
- 1579: Prefabricated home: Akbar the Great[224]
- 1579: Movable structure: Akbar the Great[224]
- c. 1580: Hookah: Hakim Abul Fateh Gilani in Mughal India[225][226][227]
- 1582: Autocannon: Fathullah Shirazi[228]
- 1582: Multi-barrel gun: Fathullah Shirazi[228]
- 1582: Grain-griding carriage: Fathullah Shirazi[229]
- 1589: Stocking frame: William Lee
- 1589-1590: Seamless celestial globe: Ali Kashmiri ibn Luqman in Kashmir, Mughal India[230]
- c. 1590: Compound microscope: Zacharias Janssen, Hans Janssen, Hans Lippershey [231]
- 1592: Ironclad Warship: Yi Sun-sin
- 1593: Thermoscope: Galileo Galilei
- 1596: Water closet: John Harrington & Thomas Crapper
- Chintz in India[232]
- Musket in Europe
- Pencil in England
- High-rise apartment buildings in Shibam[233]
- Tower blocks in Shibam[234]
- Vertical construction urban planning in Shibam[233]
- Shuriken in Japan
- Concealed weapon in Japan
[edit] 17th century
- 1609: Telescope: Hans Lippershey, Zacharias Janssen, Jacob Metius[235]
- 1610: Flintlock: Marin le Bourgeoys
- 1620: Slide rule: William Oughtred
- 1623: Automatic calculator: Wilhelm Schickard
- 1624 or before: Temperature regulator: Cornelius Drebbel[236]
- 1631: Vernier scale: Pierre Vernier
- 1642: Adding machine: Blaise Pascal
- 1643: Barometer: Evangelista Torricelli
- 1645: Vacuum pump: Otto von Guericke
- 1657: Pendulum clock: Christiaan Huygens
- 1672: Steam car: Ferdinand Verbiest[237][238]
- 1679: Pressure cooker: Denis Papin
- 1690: Polhem wheel: Christopher Polhem
- 1698: Steam engine powered water pump: Thomas Savery
- 1700: Piano: Bartolomeo Cristofori
- Palampore in India[239][240]
[edit] 18th century
- 1701: Seed drill: Jethro Tull
- 1709: Iron smelting using coke: Abraham Darby I
- 1711: Tuning fork: John Shore
- 1712: Steam piston engine: Thomas Newcomen
- 1714: Mercury thermometer: Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit
- 1731: Octant: John Hadley, Thomas Godfrey
- 1733: Flying shuttle: John Kay
- 1737: Marine chronometer (H1): John Harrison
- 1742: Franklin stove: Benjamin Franklin
- 1750: Flatboat: Jacob Yoder
- 1752: Lightning rod: Benjamin Franklin
- 1764: Spinning jenny: James Hargreaves/Thomas Highs
- 1767: Carbonated water: Joseph Priestley
- 1769: Water frame: Richard Arkwright/Thomas Highs
- 1769: Steam road vehicle: Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot
- 1775: Submarine Turtle: David Bushnell
- 1776: Steamboat: Claude de Jouffroy
- 1776: Watt steam engine: James Watt
- 1777: Card teeth making machine: Oliver Evans
- 1777: Circular saw: Samuel Miller
- 1779: Spinning mule: Samuel Crompton
- 1780s: Iron-cased rocket: Tipu Sultan in India[241]
- 1783: Hot air balloon: Montgolfier brothers
- 1783: Hydrogen balloon : Jacques Charles and Les Frères Robert
- 1784: Bifocals: Benjamin Franklin
- 1784: Argand lamp: Aimé Argand[13]
- 1784: Shrapnel shell: Henry Shrapnel
- 1785: Power loom: Edmund Cartwright
- 1785: Automatic flour mill: Oliver Evans
- 1786: Threshing machine: Andrew Meikle
- 1791: Artificial teeth: Nicholas Dubois De Chemant
- 1795: Appertization: Nicolas Appert
- 1798: Vaccination: Edward Jenner
- 1798: Lithography: Alois Senefelder
- Indian clubs in India[242]
[edit] 19th century
[edit] 1800s
- 1801: Jacquard loom: Joseph Marie Jacquard [243]
- 1802: Screw propeller steamboat Phoenix: John Stevens
- 1802: Gas stove: James Sharp
- 1803: Morphine (first isolation from opium): Friedrich W. A. Serturner[244]
- 1804: Locomotive: Richard Trevithick
- 1805: Submarine Nautilus: Robert Fulton
- 1807: Steamboat Clermont: Robert Fulton
- 1808: Band saw: William Newberry
- 1809: Arc lamp: Humphry Davy
[edit] 1810s
- 1814: Steam locomotive (Blücher):
- 1816: Miner's safety lamp: Humphry Davy
- 1816: Stirling engine: Robert Stirling
- 1816: Stethoscope: Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laennec
- 1817: Draisine or velocipede (two-wheeled): Karl Drais
- 1817: Kaleidoscope: David Brewster
- 1818: Bicycle: Karl Drais[13]
[edit] 1820s
- 1821: Electric motor: Michael Faraday
- 1823: Electromagnet: William Sturgeon
- 1823: Lighter: Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner
- 1824: Portland cement: William Aspdin
- 1826: Photography: Joseph Nicéphore Niépce
- 1826: Internal combustion engine: Samuel Morey
- 1827: Friction match: John Walker
- 1827: Fountain-pen : Petrache Poenaru
- 1829: Steam locomotive: George Stephenson[13]
[edit] 1830s
- 1830: Thermostat: Andrew Ure[13]
- 1830: Stenotype on punched paper strip: Karl Drais
- 1831: Multiple coil magnet: Joseph Henry
- 1831: Magnetic acoustic telegraph: Joseph Henry (patented 1837)
- 1831: Reaper: Cyrus McCormick
- 1831: Electrical generator: Michael Faraday, Ányos Jedlik
- 1832: Electric Motor: William Sturgeon
- 1834: The Hansom cab is patented
- 1834: Louis Braille perfects his Braille system
- 1834: Refrigerator: Jacob Perkins
- 1834: Combine harvester: Hiram Moore
- 1835: Revolver: Samuel Colt
- 1835: Electromechanical Relay: Joseph Henry
- 1835: Incandescent light bulb: James Bowman Lindsay
- 1836: Sewing machine: Josef Madersperger
- 1837: US electric printing press patented by Thomas Davenport (February 25)
- 1837: Steel plow: John Deere
- 1837: Standard diving dress: Augustus Siebe[245]
- 1837: Camera Zoom Lens: Jozef Maximilián Petzval
- 1837: Magnetic telegraph: Samuel Morse
- 1838: Electric telegraph: Charles Wheatstone (also Samuel Morse)
- 1838: closed diving suit with a helmet: Augustus Siebe[245]
- 1839: Vulcanization of rubber: Charles Goodyear
[edit] 1840s
- 1840: Artificial fertilizer: Justus von Liebig
- 1841: Saxophone:Adolphe Sax
- 1842: Superphosphate fertilizer: John Bennett Lawes
- 1842: Steam hammer: James Nasmyth
- 1842: Anaesthesia: Crawford Long
- 1843: Typewriter: Charles Thurber
- 1843: Fax machine: Alexander Bain[citation needed]
- 1843: Ice cream maker: Nancy Johnson
- 1843: Pile driver: James Nasmyth
- 1844: The safety match: Gustaf Erik Pasch
- 1844: Pulp wood for papermaking: Charles Fenerty (Nova Scotia, Canada), and F.G. Keller (Germany)
- 1845: Pneumatic tyre: Robert Thomson (inventor)
- 1846: Sewing machine: Elias Howe
- 1846: Rotary printing press: Richard M. Hoe
- 1849: Safety pin: Walter Hunt
- 1849: Francis turbine: James B. Francis
- 1849: Telephone: Antonio Meucci[citation needed]
[edit] 1850s
- 1852: Airship: Henri Giffard
- 1852: Passenger elevator: Elisha Otis
- 1852: Gyroscope: Léon Foucault
- 1855: Bunsen burner: Peter Desaga
- 1855: Bessemer process: Henry Bessemer
- 1856: Celluloid: Alexander Parkes
- 1858: Undersea telegraph cable: Charles Wheatstone
- 1858: Mason jar: John L. Mason
- 1859: Oil drill: Edwin L. Drake
- 1859: Lead acid battery: Gaston Plante
- 1859: Ironclad (Battleship) La Gloire: Dupuy de Lôme
- Badminton in India[246][247]
[edit] 1860s
- 1860: Light Bulb, Sir Joseph Swan
- 1860: Linoleum: Frederick Walton
- 1860: Repeating rifle: Oliver F. Winchester, Christopher Spencer
- 1860: Self-propelled torpedo: Giovanni Luppis
- 1861: Siemens regenerative furnace: Carl Wilhelm Siemens
- 1862: Revolving machine gun: Richard J. Gatling
- 1862: Mechanical submarine: Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol
- 1862: Pasteurization: Louis Pasteur, Claude Bernard
- 1863: Player piano: Henri Fourneaux
- 1863: Underground railway (metro, subway): Sir John Fowler
- 1865: Roller Coaster: LaMarcus Adna Thompson
- 1865: Barbed wire: Louis Jannin
- 1866: Dynamite: Alfred Nobel
- 1868: Typewriter: Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule, with assistance from James Densmore
- 1868: Air brake (rail): George Westinghouse
- 1868: Oleomargarine: Mege Mouries
- 1869: Vacuum cleaner: I.W. McGaffers
[edit] 1870s
- 1870: Chewing gum: Thomas Adams[13]
- 1870: Magic lantern projector: Henry R. Heyl
- 1870: Stock ticker: Thomas Alva Edison
- 1871: Cable car (railway): Andrew S. Hallidie
- 1873: Jeans: Levi Strauss[13]
- 1873: Railway knuckle coupler: Eli H. Janney
- 1873: Modern direct current electric motor: Zénobe Gramme
- 1874: Barbed wire: Joseph Glidden[13]
- 1874: Heroin: First synthesized by C. R. Alder Wright[248]
- 1874: Electric street car: Stephen Dudle Field
- 1874: DDT: Othmar Zeidler[13]
- 1875: Dynamo: William A. Anthony
- 1875: Magazine (firearm): Benjamin B. Hotchkiss
- 1876: Carpet sweeper: Melville Bissell
- 1876: Gasoline carburettor: Daimler
- 1876: Loudspeaker: Alexander Graham Bell
- 1876: Telephone: Alexander Graham Bell
- 1877: Stapler: Henry R. Heyl
- 1877: Induction motor: Nikola Tesla
- 1877: Phonograph: Thomas Alva Edison
- 1877: Microphone: Emile Berliner
- 1878: Cathode ray tube: William Crookes
- 1878: Rebreather: Henry Fleuss[249]
- 1879: Pelton turbine: Lester Pelton
- 1879: Cash register: James Ritty
[edit] 1880s
- 1880: Photophone: Alexander Graham Bell
- 1880: Roll film: George Eastman
- 1880: Safety razor: Kampfe Brothers
- 1880: Seismograph: John Milne
- 1881: Metal detector: Alexander Graham Bell
- 1882: Electric fan: Schuyler Skaats Wheeler
- 1882: Blowtorch: Carl Rickard Nyberg
- 1883: Two-phase (alternating current) induction motor: Nikola Tesla
- 1884: Linotype machine: Ottmar Mergenthaler
- 1884: Recording data on a machine readable medium, the Punched card: Herman Hollerith
- 1884: Trolley car, (electric): Frank Sprague, Charles Van Depoele
- 1885: Automobile patent granted (internal combustion engine powered): Karl Benz, first automobile put into production
- 1885: Machine gun: Hiram Stevens Maxim[250]
- 1885: Motorcycle: Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach
- 1885: Alternating current transformer: William Stanley
- 1885: Safety bicycle: John Kemp Starley
- 1886: Dishwasher: Josephine Cochrane
- 1886: Gasoline engine: Gottlieb Daimler
- 1886: Improved phonograph cylinder: Tainter & Bell
- 1887: Amphetamine: Lazăr Edeleanu[251]
- 1887: Monotype machine: Tolbert Lanston
- 1887: Contact lens: Adolf E. Fick, Eugène Kalt and August Muller
- 1887: Gramophone record: Emile Berliner
- 1887: Ceiling fan: Philip Diehl
- 1888: Polyphase AC Electric power system: Nikola Tesla (30 related patents.)
- 1888: Kodak hand camera: George Eastman[252]
- 1888: Ballpoint pen: John Loud
- 1888: Harvester-thresher: Matteson (?)
- 1888: Kinematograph: Augustin Le Prince
- 1889: Northrop Loom: Draper Corporation, James Henry Northrop
- Takadiastase: Jokichi Takamine
[edit] 1890s
- 1891: Escalator: Jesse W. Reno[13]
- 1891: Landing gear: Chūhachi Ninomiya
- 1891: Pusher propeller: Chūhachi Ninomiya
- 1891: Stabilizer: Chūhachi Ninomiya
- 1891: Thermal cracking process: Vladimir Shukhov
- 1891: Zipper: Whitcomb L. Judson
- 1891: Carborundum: Edward G. Acheson
- 1891: Modern adjustable spanner: Johan Petter Johansson
- 1891: Tesla coil: Nikola Tesla
- 1892: Color photography: Frederic E. Ives
- 1892: Automatic telephone exchange (electromechanical): Almon Strowger - First in commercial service.
- 1893: Biplane: Chūhachi Ninomiya[253]
- 1893: Tailless aircraft: Chūhachi Ninomiya[253]
- 1893: Carburetor: Donát Bánki and János Csonka
- 1893: Tuned wireless communication: Nikola Tesla (The True Wireless)
- 1893: Radio: Nikola Tesla [254]
- 1894: Radio transmission: Jagdish Chandra Bose in Bengal[255]
- 1894: Milking machine: Gustaf de Laval
- 1894: Methamphetamine: Nagayoshi Nagai[256]
- 1895: X-ray : Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen
- 1895: Diesel engine: Rudolf Diesel
- 1895: Radiotelegraph: Guglielmo Marconi
- 1896: Vitascope: Thomas Armat
- 1897: Modern escalator: Jesse W. Reno
- 1898: Tapered roller bearing: Henry Timken
- 1898: Remote control: Nikola Tesla
- 1898: ignition coil: Nikola Tesla
- 1899: Iron-mercury coherer: Jagdish Chandra Bose in Bengal
- 1899: Automobile self starter: Clyde J. Coleman
- 1899: Magnetic tape recorder: Valdemar Poulsen
- 1899: Gas turbine: Charles Curtis[citation needed]
[edit] 20th century
[edit] 1900s
- 1900: Epinephrine (adrenaline): Jokichi Takamine & Keizo Uenaka
- 1900: Rigid dirigible airship: Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin
- 1900: Self-heating can
- 1901: Mercury vapor lamp: Peter C. Hewitt
- 1901: Disposable razor blade: King C. Gillette
- 1901: Vacuum cleaner: Hubert Booth
- 1901: Gauge blocks: Carl Edvard Johansson
- 1902: Ostwald process: Wilhelm Ostwald
- 1902: Air Conditioner: Willis Carrier [13]
- 1902: Neon lamp: Georges Claude
- 1902: Radio telephone: Valdemar Poulsen, Reginald Fessenden
- 1902: Rayon cellulose ester: Arthur D. Little
- 1903: Electrocardiograph (EKG): Willem Einthoven
- 1903: Powered, controlled airplane: Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright
- 1904: Thermionic valve: John Ambrose Fleming
- 1904: Tractor: Benjamin Holt
- 1905: Radio tube diode: John Ambrose Fleming
- 1906: Sonar (first device): Lewis Nixon
- 1906: Triode amplifier: Lee DeForest
- 1907: Helicopter: Paul Cornu
- 1907: Monosodium glutamate: Kikunae Ikeda[257]
- 1907: Radio tube triode: Lee DeForest
- 1907: Washing machine, (electric): Alva Fisher (Hurley Corporation)
- 1908: Cellophane: Jacques E. Brandenberger
- 1908: Geiger counter: Hans Geiger and Ernest Rutherford
- 1908: Gyrocompass: Hermann Anschütz-Kaempfe
- 1908: Haber process: Fritz Haber
- 1908: Umami: Kikunae Ikeda[258]
- 1909: Bakelite: Leo Baekeland
- 1909: Gun suppressor: Hiram Percy Maxim
- Microwave optics: Jagdish Chandra Bose in Bengal
- Crescograph: Jagdish Chandra Bose in Bengal[259]
[edit] 1910s
- 1910: Aberic acid: Umetaro Suzuki
- 1910: Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Umetaro Suzuki[260]
- 1910: Vitamin (B vitamin): Umetaro Suzuki
- 1910: Braces on teeth: Joseph Clyde
- 1910: Neon lighting: Georges Claude
- 1910: Thermojet engine: Henri Coandă
- 1911: Gyrocompass: Elmer A. Sperry
- 1911: Automobile self starter (perfected): Charles F. Kettering
- 1911: Hydroplane: Glenn Curtiss
- 1913: Bra: Mary Phelps Jacob
- 1913: Crossword: Arthur Wynne
- 1913: Parachute: Štefan Banič
- 1913: Radio receiver: Ernst Alexanderson, Reginald Fessenden
- 1913: Stainless steel: Harry Brearley
- 1913: X-Ray (coolidge tube): William D. Coolidge[261]
- 1914: Radio transmitter triode mod.: Ernst Alexanderson
- 1914: Liquid fuel rocket: Robert Goddard
- 1914: Tank, military: Sir William Ashbee Tritton and Major Walter Gordon Wilson[262]
- 1915: Tungsten Filament: Irving Langmuir
- 1915: Pyrex: Corning Inc.
- 1916: Browning Gun: John Browning
- 1916: Cultured pearl: Mikimoto Kōkichi
- 1916: Thompson submachine gun: John T. Thompson
- 1917: Sonar echolocation: Paul Langevin
- 1917: Cruise missile: Charles Kettering
- 1918: Interrupter gear: Anton Fokker
- 1918: Radio crystal oscillator: A.M. Nicolson
- 1919: Flip-flop circuit: William Eccles and F. W. Jordan
- 1919: Theremin: Leon Theremin
[edit] 1920s
- 1920: Saha ionization equation: Meghnad Saha[263]
- 1921: Polygraph: John A. Larson
- 1922: Radar: Robert Watson-Watt, A. H. Taylor, L. C. Young, Gregory Breit, Merle Antony Tuve
- 1922: The absorption refrigerator: Baltzar von Platen
- 1923: Sound film: Lee DeForest
- 1923: Television Electronic: Philo Farnsworth
- 1923: Wind tunnel: Michael Max Munk
- 1923: Autogyro: Juan de la Cierva
- 1923: Xenon flash lamp: Harold Edgerton
- 1924: Automatic power loom: Sakichi Toyoda[264]
- 1924: Autonomation: Sakichi Toyoda[264]
- 1924: Autonomous automation: Sakichi Toyoda[264]
- 1925: Ultra-centrifuge: Theodor Svedberg - used to determine molecular weights
- 1925: Television Nipkow System: C. Francis Jenkins
- 1926: Television Mechanical Scanner: John Logie Baird
- 1926: Aerosol spray: Rotheim
- 1926: Yagi antenna: Hidetsugu Yagi & Shintaro Uda
- 1926: Directional antenna: Hidetsugu Yagi & Shintaro Uda
- 1926: High-gain antenna: Hidetsugu Yagi & Shintaro Uda
- 1927: Mechanical cotton picker: John Rust
- 1928: Sliced bread: Otto Frederick Rohwedder
- 1928: Electric dry shaver: Jacob Schick
- 1928: Antibiotics: Alexander Fleming (initial discovery of penicillin)
- 1928: Preselector gearbox: Walter Gordon Wilson
- 1928: Raman effect: Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman[265]
- 1928: Magnetic interference balance: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar & K. N. Mathur[266]
- 1929: Electroencephelograph (EEG): Hans Berger
- 1929: Kinescope (CRT):Vladimir Zworykin
- Band aid: Earle Dickson
- Man-made Insulin: Paul Langerhans
- Mechanical potato peeler: Herman Lay
- Phototelegraphic transmission: Yasujiro Niwa
- Mechanical television: Yasujiro Niwa
[edit] 1930s
- 1930: Neoprene: Wallace Carothers
- 1931: Magnetic-resistant steel: Kotaro Honda
- 1931: Magnetic steel: Kotaro Honda
- 1931: Alnico: Tokuhichi Mishima
- 1931: MKM steel: Tokuhichi Mishima
- 1931: Radio telescope: Karl Jansky Grote Reber
- 1931: Iconoscope: Vladimir Zworykin
- 1934: Hammond Organ: Laurens Hammond
- 1935: Microwave RADAR: Robert Watson-Watt
- 1935: Nylon: Wallace Carothers
- 1935: Spectrophotometer: Arthur C. Hardy
- 1935: Casein fiber: Earl Whittier Stephen
- 1937: Turboprop engine: György Jendrassik
- 1937: Jet engine: Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain
- 1937: O-ring: Niels Christensen
- 1937: Nylon: Wallace H. Carothers[13]
- 1937: Portable electrocardiograph: Taro Takemi
- 1937: Atanasoff–Berry Computer, the first automatic electronic digital computer: John Vincent Atanasoff
- 1938: Ballpoint pen: Laszlo Biro
- 1938: xerography: Chester Carlson
- 1938: Fiberglass: Russell Games Slayter John H. Thomas
- 1938: LSD: Albert Hofmann
- 1939: Helicopter: Igor Sikorsky
- 1939: View-master: William Gruber
- 1939: Automated teller machine: Luther George Simjian
- 1939: Vectorcardiography: Taro Takemi
- Nuclear medicine: Frederic Joliot-Curie, Irene Joliot-Curie, Taro Takemi
[edit] 1940s
- 1940: p-n junction: Russell Ohl[267]
- 1941: Computer: Konrad Zuse[citation needed]
- 1941: Velcro: George de Mestral
- 1942: Bazooka Rocket Gun: Leslie A. Skinner C. N. Hickman
- 1942: Nuclear reactor: Enrico Fermi[13]
- 1942: Undersea oil pipeline: Hartley, Anglo-Iranian, Siemens in Operation Pluto
- 1943: Aqua-Lung: Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan
- 1944: Electron spectrometer: Deutsch Elliot Evans
- 1945: Slinky: Richard James and Betty James
- 1945: Microwave oven: Percy L. Spencer[13]
- 1945: Nuclear weapons (note: chain reaction theory was made in 1933):Manhattan Project
- 1946: Microwave oven: Percy Spencer
- 1946: Mobile Telephone Service: AT&T and Southwestern Bell
- 1946: Bikini: Louis Réard[13]
- 1947: Pocket calculator (four-function, mechanical): Curt Herzstark[268][269]
- 1947: Transistor: William Shockley, Walter Brattain, John Bardeen
- 1947: Polaroid camera: Edwin Land
- 1948: Long Playing Record: Peter Carl Goldmark
- 1948: Holography: Dennis Gabor[13]
- 1949: Atomic clocks
- 1949: Radiocarbon dating: Willard Libby
- 1949: Kei car in Japan
- Electric rice cooker: Mitsubishi Electric
[edit] 1950s
- 1950: Credit card: Frank X. McNamara
- 1950: Steadicam tracking shot: Akira Kurosawa
- 1951: Combined oral contraceptive pill: Djerassi, Miramontes, and Rosenkranz [270]
- 1951: Liquid Paper: Bette Nesmith Graham
- 1951: Nuclear power reactor: Walter Zinn
- 1952: Floppy disk: Yoshiro Nakamatsu[271]
- 1952: Optical fiber: Narinder Singh Kapany[272][273]
- 1952: Fusion bomb: Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam
- 1952: Hovercraft: Christopher Cockerell
- 1953: MASER: Charles Townes
- 1953: Medical ultrasonography
- 1954: Radar gun: Bryce K. Brown
- 1954: Synthetic diamond: Tracy Hall
- 1954: Geodesic dome: Buckminster Fuller
- 1955: Hard Drive: Reynold Johnson with IBM
- 1955: Video phone: Gregorio Y. Zara in the Philippines
- 1955: Bounce lighting: Subrata Mitra[274][275]
- 1956: Digital clock
- 1956: Videotape recorder: Ampex
- 1957: Electric compact calculator: Casio
- 1957: Jet Boat: William Hamilton
- 1958: Integrated circuit: Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments, Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor
- 1958: Communications satellite: Kenneth Masterman-Smith
- 1958: Implantable pacemaker: Rune Elmqvist
- 1959: Bullet train: Kawasaki Heavy Industries
- Dedicated high-speed rail lines in Japan
- High-speed railway: Shinkansen in Japan
[edit] 1960s
- 1960: Laser: Theodore Harold Maiman
- 1961: Optical disc: David Paul Gregg
- 1961: Cochlear implant: William House
- 1961: Human spaceflight: Yuri Gagarin, Sergey Korolyov, Kerim Kerimov[276]
- 1961: Thin-film transistor: P. K. Weimer[277]
- 1962: Sea Solar Power [278] J. Hilbert Anderson [279]
- 1962: Light-emitting diode (LED): Nick Holonyak
- 1962: Space observatory: Ball Brothers Aerospace Corporation [5]
- 1963: Computer mouse: Douglas Engelbart
- 1964: Solid-state electronic calculator: Friden, Inc.[280]
- 1966: Space docking: between Gemini 8 and an unmanned Agena stage[281]
- 1967: Automatic Teller Machine: John Shepherd-Barron
- 1967: Hypertext: Andries van Dam and Ted Nelson
- 1967: Quartz wristwatch: Seiko[282]
- 1968: Video game console: Ralph H. Baer
- 1969: ARPANET (first wide-area packet switching network): United States Department of Defense[13]
- 1969: Digital Photography, charge coupled device Willard Boyle and George E. Smith[283]
- 1969: Video cassette: Sony
- Aperture grille: Sony
- Packet switching: Paul Baran and Donald Davies, independently
[edit] 1970s
- 1970: Pocket calculator: Sanyo, Canon, Sharp
- 1970: Relational database management system: Edgar F. Codd
- 1970: Cup noodles: Nissin Foods
- 1971: Instant noodles: Momofuku Ando
- 1971: Space station: Kerim Kerimov[276][284]
- 1971: E-mail: Ray Tomlinson[285]
- 1971: Karaoke: Daisuke Inoue
- 1971: Liquid Crystal Display: James Fergason
- 1971: Microprocessor: Masatoshi Shima, Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff
- 1971: Pocket calculator: Sharp Corporation
- 1971: Magnetic resonance imaging: Raymond V. Damadian
- 1971: Oil-eating bacteria: Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty
- 1971: Videocassette recorder: Sony
- 1972: Computed tomography: Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield
- 1973: Hybrid rice in China[286]
- 1973: Ethernet: Bob Metcalfe and David Boggs
- 1973: Genetically modified organism: Stanley Norman Cohen and Herbert Boyer
- 1973: Personal computer: Xerox PARC
- 1974: Microfinance: Muhammad Yunus
- 1974: Rubik's Cube: Ernő Rubik
- 1974: Hybrid vehicle: Victor Wouk [6]
- 1975: DNA sequencing by chain termination Frederick Sanger
- 1975: Digital camera: Steven Sasson
- 1976: [[Molecular Vaporizer(tires to crude oil)]: [Inventor Floyd D. Wallace,Leslie, Michigan]]
- 1976: Gore-Tex fabric: W. L. Gore
- 1976: Perpendicular recording: Shun-ichi Iwasaki at Tohoku University
- 1976: Polyphony: Yamaha
- 1977: Personal stereo: Andreas Pavel
- 1977: Mobile phone: Bell Labs [7]
- 1978: Credit-card-sized calculator: Casio
- 1978: Solar-powered calculator: Sharp
- 1978: Spreadsheet: Dan Bricklin
- 1979: Walkman: Sony
- 1979: Solid state digital audio player Kane Kramer
[edit] 1980s
- 1980: Compact Disc: Sony Corp, Philips Electronics[13]
- 1980: Flash memory: Fujio Masuoka[287][288]
- 1981: WIMP graphical User Interface (GUI): Xerox PARC
- 1981: Handheld electronic camera: Sony
- 1981: Scanning tunneling microscope: Gerd Karl Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer
- 1981: Video Floppy: Sony
- 1982: Compact Disc player: Sony[289]
- 1982: Insulated gate bipolar transistor: Hans Becke and Carl Wheatley RCA
- 1982: ACE inhibitor: John R. Vane
- 1982: Artificial heart: Robert Jarvik, incorporating modifications to earlier experimental designs
- 1982: Camcorder: Sony
- 1982: D-pad: Gunpei Yokoi
- 1982 (date of first marketing): Pocket television: Sony[290]
- 1982: Flat panel display: Sony
- 1982: Parallax scrolling: Irem[291]
- 1983: Personal digital assistant: Casio
- 1983: Internet: first TCP/IP network by Robert E. Kahn, Vint Cerf and others
- 1983: Color LCD television: Seiko[292][293]
- 1984: Digital synthesizer: Yamaha
- 1984: Portable CD player: Sony
- 1984: Phase distortion synthesis: Casio
- 1984: Lithotripsy: Claude Dornier
- 1985: Graphing calculator: Casio
- 1985: Polymerase chain reaction: Kary Mullis
- 1985: DNA fingerprinting: Alec Jeffreys
- 1987: Statin, cholesterol drug: Carl Hoffman
- 1987: Digital Light Processing: Dr. Larry Hornbeck, Texas Instruments
- 1987: Electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission: Subaru
- 1988: Digital camera: Fuji
- 1989: Blue laser: Isamu Akasaki
- 1989: Digital waveguide synthesis: Yamaha, Stanford University
- 1989: Sildenafil (Viagra): Pfizer[294]
- Digital Audio Tape: Sony
- PCM adaptor: Sony
- Vowel-Consonant synthesis: Casio
[edit] 1990s
- 1990: World Wide Web: Tim Berners-Lee[13][295]
- 1991: Memory card: Japan Electronic Industries Development Association
- 1992: Plasma colour display: Fujitsu
- 1993: Global Positioning System: United States Department of Defense
- 1993: Blue LED: Shuji Nakamura
- 1996: Force feedback: Nintendo
- 1997: Non-mechanical mp3 digital audio player: SaeHan Information Systems[296]
- 1997: Plasma television: Pioneer Corporation
- Analog modeling synthesizer: Korg
- Indium gallium nitride: Shuji Nakamura
3rd millennium
[edit] 21st century
[edit] 2000s
Further information: 2000s in science and technology and List of emerging technologies
- 2001: PageRank: Sergey Brin, Larry Page
- 2001: Human genome sequenced.[297]
