50 Inventions Lived Through By My Grandfather
A lifetime of progress
My grandfather, I.A. O'Shaughnessy (pictured above), was born in 1885 in Stillwater, MN, and died in 1973 at the age of 88.
He was always excited by the unbridled potential of human ingenuity.
I remember him proudly regaling me with stories of being born before the first airplane flight. I remember his sheer amazement when the U.S. landed on the moon in 1969.
Reminiscing about these encounters got me thinking; just how much was invented or discovered over the course of his lifetime?
With a bit of help from GPT-4, I was able to pull together a list of 50 inventions that he lived through.
Prepare for 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯.
P.S. I’ve just had my fifth grandchild. Can you imagine what this list will look like in 88 years’ time?
1880s
Automobile (1886) - Carl Benz patented the world’s first gas-powered automobile, which had a three-wheel design.
Electric Street Cars (1888) - Frank Sprague designed the first full-scale electric streetcar system, which was implemented in Richmond, Virginia, in 1888. Prior to Sprague's invention, streetcars were typically pulled by horses.
1890s
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Motion Picture Camera (1890) - Thomas Edison and his assistant, William Kennedy Dickson, filed a patent for the Kinetograph, an early motion picture camera. Edison and Kennedy would go on to reveal the Kinetoscope in 1893, an early motion picture peephole exhibition device.
Diesel Engine (1892) - the inventor Rudolf Diesel created the first diesel engine prototype, a significant advancement in internal combustion engine technology. Unlike the gasoline engines of the time, diesel engines were more efficient and operated on a different combustion principle.
Magnetic Recording (1898) - Valdemar Poulsen filed a patent for the Telegraphone, the first device to use magnetic sound recording.
1900s
Blood Types (1900) - Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood group system, critical for safe blood transfusions and understanding human genetics.
Radio (1901) - Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio transmission, establishing the basis for wireless communication.
Fingerprint Identification (1901) - Edward Henry developed the first systematic method for classifying fingerprints, which remains a vital tool in forensic science.
Airplane (1903) - Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew the first powered, controlled, and sustained heavier-than-air human flight.
Sonar (1906) - Lewis Nixon developed the first sonar devices, which are used to detect objects underwater and for navigation.
Plastic (1907) - Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic, laying the foundation for the modern plastics industry.
Model T Ford (1908) - Henry Ford revolutionized automobile production with the mass-produced and affordable Model T car.
Geiger Counter (1908) - Hans Geiger invented the Geiger counter, a device used to detect and measure ionizing radiation.
1910s
Assembly Line (1913) - Henry Ford implemented the assembly line technique in automobile manufacturing, significantly increasing production efficiency.
Zippers (1913) - Gideon Sundback developed the modern zipper, which quickly became a popular fastening method in clothing and other items.
1920s
Insulin (1921) - Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin, a hormone used to treat diabetes and save countless lives.
Traffic Light (1923) - Garrett Morgan patented the traffic light with a third "caution" signal, improving traffic safety and regulation.
Liquid-Fueled Rocket (1926) - Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first liquid-fueled rocket, setting the stage for future rocket technology and space exploration.
Television (1927) - Philo Farnsworth invented the first fully electronic television, changing the way people consumed news and entertainment.
Penicillin (1928) - Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic penicillin, revolutionizing medicine and saving countless lives.
Sliced Bread (1928) - Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the bread-slicing machine, leading to the widespread availability of pre-sliced bread.
1930s
Scotch Tape (1930) - Richard Drew invented the first transparent adhesive tape, which became an essential household and office supply.
Jet Engine (1930) - Sir Frank Whittle obtained his first patent for a turbojet engine. Later that decade, Hans von Ohain also independently developed a turbojet engine, which was used to power the world’s first turbojet flight in August 1939.
Electric Guitar (1931) - Musician George Beauchamp and engineer Adolph Rickenbacker invented the first electric guitar, which revolutionized popular music and shaped the sound of rock and roll.
Electron Microscope (1931) - Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll created the electron microscope, allowing for the observation of objects at a much higher resolution than traditional light microscopes.
FM Radio (1933) - Edwin Howard Armstrong introduced frequency modulation (FM) radio, offering improved sound quality and reduced static compared to AM radio.
Polyethylene (1933) - Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett discovered polyethylene, a versatile plastic used in many products, including plastic bags, bottles, and containers.
Radar (1935) - Sir Robert Watson-Watt patented the radar system, which became a crucial technology during World War II and beyond.
Nylon (1935) - Wallace Carothers, who led DuPont’s Experimental Station laboratory, invented nylon, a synthetic polymer that became widely used in various applications, including clothing and parachutes.
The Turing Machine (1936) - Alan Turing invented the Turing machine, a hypothetical device that laid the foundation for the theory of computation and modern computer science.
Photocopier (1938) - Chester Carlson invented the process of xerography, leading to the development of the photocopier.
Ballpoint Pen (1938) - László BÃró invented the modern ballpoint pen, providing a more reliable and convenient writing instrument.
Teflon (1938) - While at the DuPont Jackson Laboratory, Roy Plunkett accidentally discovered Teflon, a non-stick coating used on cookware and in various industrial applications.
Helicopter (1939) - The first practical helicopter, the VS-300, which had been designed by Igor Sikorsky, took flight. This expanded the possibilities of air travel and transportation.
Computer (1936-1945) - Early computers like the ENIAC, Colossus, and Harvard Mark I were developed, laying the groundwork for modern computing.
1940s
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Nuclear Power (1942) - Enrico Fermi and his team built the first nuclear reactor, paving the way for nuclear power generation.
Atomic Bomb (1945) - Developed as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II, the atomic bomb introduced the world to the devastating potential of nuclear weapons.
Transistor (1947) - John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley invented the first working transistor at Bell Labs, which became a critical component in modern electronics.
Polaroid Camera (1947) - Edwin Land introduced the instant camera together with associated film, enabling people to take and develop photographs on the spot.
Contact Lenses (1948) - Kevin Tuohy introduced the first corneal contact lenses, offering an alternative to eyeglasses for vision correction.
1950s
Barcodes (1952) - Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver patented the barcode, a method for storing data that became widely used in retail, logistics, and other industries.
Color Television (1953) - The first color television broadcasts began, enhancing the TV viewing experience and eventually becoming the standard.
DNA Structure (1953) - James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA, revolutionizing the field of genetics.
Satellites (1957) - The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, marking the beginning of the space age and satellite technology.
Integrated Circuit (1958) - Jack Kilby invented the integrated circuit, laying the groundwork for the modern computer and electronics industries.
1960s
Birth Control Pill (1960) - The first oral contraceptive pill, Enovid, was approved by the FDA, significantly impacting family planning and women's rights.
Laser (1960) - Theodore H. Maiman invented the first functioning laser, a technology with applications in various fields such as medicine, communications, and industry.
Space Travel (1961) - Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space, marking the beginning of the space race and human space exploration.
Artificial Heart (1969) - Dr. Robert Jarvik and his team performed the first-ever total artificial heart implant, a significant advancement in the field of medical devices and transplantation.
1970s
Email (1971) - Raymond Tomlinson repurposed an existing program and added a feature to allow messages to be sent between computers using the @ symbol, thus inventing email.