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15 inventions that changed the world

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2026-05-05 15:36:57

Numerous inventions have profoundly marked the history of mankind and played a decisive role in our daily lives. Sometimes relatively simple, sometimes more complex, these inventions first concerned the control of the environment, before opening up new perspectives for applications that were previously unimaginable, reflecting the infinite curiosity and imaginative power of human beings. Here is a selection of 15 inventions that have changed the face of the world:

Inventions that changed the world — Crédit: Jay Turner on Unsplash

1. The wheel

We sometimes forget that the wheel is such an integral part of our daily lives, but it has played a decisive role in the evolution of mankind. Since its invention over 6,000 years ago, it has been present in just about every area of everyday life.

2. The steam engine

Since the Industrial Revolution, the steam engine has been one of the most influential inventions in human history. It is the basis for many other inventions, appliances and devices of all kinds, such as the locomotive, steamboats and the mechanization of factories.

3. The car

It was at the end of the 19ᵉ century, in 1885, that mechanical engineer Karl Benz is credited with inventing the modern car. Subsequently, the automotive field began to develop, and major manufacturers such as Ford, Ferrari, Renault, Toyota and many others would go on to make their mark in the sector.

4. The radio

Guglielmo Marconi's name always comes up when we talk about the pioneers who invented the first radio system usable by everyone. This was the first time that information, arts and culture could be broadcast instantly and en masse.

5. The phonograph

In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the first machine capable of recording sound and playing it back. This paved the way for the mass distribution of music and the democratization of access to it.

6. Gunpowder

Invented in China around the 9ᵉ century, gunpowder first marked a decisive turning point in military technology before being used for a multitude of other applications. It was through the mixing and, above all, the experimentation of various substances that gunpowder was developed. It began to spread outside China around the 13th century.

7. The bulb

In the early 1800s, Sir Humphry Davy, an English chemist, began work on what would become the modern light bulb, and in 1840 Joseph Wilson Swan, also a chemist, obtained a patent for the first relatively practical light bulb. from 1880 onwards, Thomas Edison also began work on this invention, developing a technology that made light bulbs usable by everyone.

8. The telephone

In 1892, a call between Chicago and New York enabled Alexander Graham to make history by demonstrating that his invention worked. The telephone was the first time sound frequencies could be transmitted over long distances using electric cables.

9. The vaccine

At the very end of the 1700s, English scientist and physician Edward Jenner developed a new medical method. His main idea was to prevent rather than cure, and so he developed the first vaccine-like substance to prevent diseases before they spread through the human body.

10. The telescope

The very first telescope was invented by Galileo in the early 1600s. Observations made with it reinforced the new idea of the time that the Earth and planets revolved around the Sun. Later, they also revealed the existence of a multitude of stars in our galaxy, later called the Milky Way, and elsewhere.

11. Photography

The invention of photography is a long story, with several major turning points and renowned contributors such as Leonardo da Vinci and the Lumière brothers. The latter are considered the pioneers of modern cinema. The development and democratization of photography has revolutionized the way in which the collective memory of mankind is documented.

12. The computer

The history of the computer can be traced back to the very first calculating machines, enabling relatively complex calculations to be carried out quickly. With the development of the first modern computers around the middle of the 20ᵉ century, a whole new world slowly began to unfold, one that would later be referred to as "digital". Today, the development of so-called "quantum" computers is once again opening up prospects that seemed unimaginable for mankind.

13. Internet

Although the Internet Protocol was originally developed by the US military to enable instantaneous communication between its various bases, Tim Berners-Lee is considered the "father" of the World Wide Web as it develops today.e between its various bases, Tim Berners-Lee is considered the "father" of the World Wide Web as it develops today. Since then, communication, commerce, culture and information have been constantly evolving in line with the technologies offered by computer networks.

14. Writing

The first traces of writing date back to Mesopotamia, where it was used to ensure the traceability of certain elements of everyday life, such as money, as well as to manage areas of activity that were commonplace at the time, such as trade, agriculture and tax collection.money, as well as to manage everyday activities such as trade, agriculture and tax collection.

15. The printing works

The first printing techniques can be traced back to China in the 7ᵉ century, but it wasn't until the 15ᵉ century that mass printing was able to develop, thanks to Johannes Gutenberg and his famous printing press. This was the first time in human history that ideas, knowledge and wisdom could spread en masse, relatively quickly.