In honor of Women's History Month here are ten groundbreaking inventions that changed the world and the course of history.
Though today, female patent holders have increased ten-fold from 1977 to present, there is still some way to go before female inventors are fairly represented. However, there are a number of women throughout history who defied social barriers to invent some of the most universally used and recognized programs, products, and devices that we all benefit from today.
The Computer Compiler
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper joined the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after being assigned to work on a new computer called the Mark 1, soon became the foremost developer of computer programming the 1950s. She translated instructions into computer-readable code and revolutionized how computers worked.
Nicknamed 'Amazing Grace', Hopper was also the first to popularize the term 'bug' and 'de-bugging' after a moth was removed from her computer. She continued working with computers until she retired from the Navy at age 79 as its oldest serving officer.
Wireless Transmission Technology
Hedy Lamarr was most well-known for her glittering acting career, appearing in films like
Samson and Delilah and White Cargo in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. However, during World War II she pioneered a way for radio guidance transmitters and torpedo receivers to simultaneously jump from one frequency to another.
Samson and Delilah and White Cargo in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. However, during World War II she pioneered a way for radio guidance transmitters and torpedo receivers to simultaneously jump from one frequency to another.
Lamarr's technology formed the basis for modern-day WiFi technology, and though she has been dubbed the 'mother of WiFi', she never received a penny for her invention, which is estimated to be worth $30 billion today!
Windshield Wipers
One cold New York winter's day in 1903, real estate developer and rancher Mary Anderson was a passenger in a car. She noticed that her driver was repeatedly forced to open the window every time he needed to clear the snow from his windshield, which in turn made all of the passengers colder.
Her early invention of a rubber blade which could be moved inside the car to clear the snow was awarded a patent in 1903. However, car companies feared it would distract drivers, so never invested in her idea. Anderson never profited from her invention, even when wipers later became standard on cars.
Laser Cataract Surgery
In 1986, American scientist Patricia Bath invented and patented the Laserphaco Probe, a device that vastly improved laser eye surgery, allowing doctors to dissolve cataracts painlessly and quickly before applying new lenses to patient's eyes. She went on to become the first African American to complete a residency in Ophthalmology and the first African American female doctor in the U.S. to patent a medical device.
Kevlar
DuPont researcher Stephanie Kwolek was trying
to develop strong but lightweight plastics to
use in car tires when she discovered what came to be known as Kevlar, a strong, lightweight and heat-resistant material that has saved countless lives when used in bullet-proof vests.
She patented her design in 1966, and it became a substitute for asbestos in the 1970s. The material is also used in applications such as bridge cables, canoes, and frying pans.
Caller I.D.
Physicist Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson's research in the 1970s developed the first called ID technology. Her breakthroughs also allowed others to invent the portable fax machine, solar cells, and fiber optic cables.
In addition to her inventions, she is the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the second African American woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate in physics.
Computer Algorithms
From 1842-1843, brilliant mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote and published the first ever computer program. Based on a hypothetical future, Lovelace recognized the potential for machines to achieve more than pure calculation. While working with a mathematics professor on his theoretical invention of the analytic engine, Lovelace added her own notes which are credited as being the world's first computer program.
In addition to her reputation for dazzling intellect, Lovelace was known for being the 'mad, bad, and dangerous to know' daughter of Lord Byron, and was the belle of British society.
Stem Cell Isolation
In 1991, Ann Tsukamoto co-patented the process
of isolating human stem cells found in bone
marrow. Her invention which allows damaged blood stem cells to be transplanted, has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and revolutionized certain cancer treatments, and has also led to many medical breakthroughs in the time since. Tsukamoto holds a total of 12 U.S. patents for her stem cell research.
The Automatic Dishwasher
Josephine Cochrane was a frequent dinner part host and wanted to create a machine that would both wash her dishes faster and be less likely to break them than her servants. She invented a machine which involved turning a wheel inside a copper boiler, and in contrast with other designs which relied on brushes, hers was the first automatic dishwasher to use water pressure.
Her alcoholic husband left her in severe debt which motivated her to patent her invention in 1886. She later opened her own production factory.
The Life Raft
Between 1878 and 1898, American entrepreneur and inventor Maria Beasley patented fifteen inventions in the U.S. Among the most pivotal was her invention of an improved version of the lift raft which had guard rails and was fireproof and foldable. Her life rafts were used on the Titanic, and though there famously weren't enough of them, her design saved over 700 lives.
P.S. Friends, the movie, Hidden Figures, inspired this blog in honor of Women's History Month. If you haven't had an opportunity to see it, please take time to do so. It will reaffirm the importance of women in all facets of life. They were wives, mothers, friends, as well as scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. One of my top ten favorite movies. Highly recommend!!!!
Hidden Figures tells the inspiring true story of three African American women at NASA whose mathematical brilliance was pivotal in launching John Glenn into orbit during the Space Race. Set against the backdrop of 1960s racial and gender discrimination, it blends history, wit, and heartfelt drama. Critics praise its performances, uplifting message, and engaging storytelling, making it a must-watch for fans of biographical and socially resonant films.
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“Your journey doesn’t have to end in disappointment.”
Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who'd promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.
Just when hope was fading, a man emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.
Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.
Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.
Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who'd promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.
Just when hope was fading, a man emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.
Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.
Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.
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