Inventions & Science

Science and inventions have propelled human progress, as well as led to human destruction. From the creation of the first stone tools to reusable space rockets to the atomic bomb, each step builds upon the history of human knowledge.

Featured Overview

After much trial and error, Alexander Graham Bell finally invents the first telephone, which eventually replaces the telegraph - connecting the universe in more ways than one, in this clip from Season 1, "Telephone Wars."

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Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images.

Featured Overview

After much trial and error, Alexander Graham Bell finally invents the first telephone, which eventually replaces the telegraph - connecting the universe in more ways than one, in this clip from Season 1, "Telephone Wars."

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The Current Wars: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse

The epic race to standardize the electrical system—later known as the War of the Currents—lit up 19th-Century America.

1959 Cadillac tail fin and tail light

Here are the milestones and innovations that drove the automotive revolution.

December 17th, 1903, Kittyhawk, North Carolina: The World's first flight with Orville Wright at the controls. His brother Wilbur is running at the side of the machine.

Some of the modern world's most groundbreaking technologies emerged during this 30-year period.

Generic barcode picture

Barcode tech was first patented in 1949, but engineers came up with the UPC code in the 1970s to answer a need for better efficiency in grocery stores.

Top 10 Kitchen Inventions That Changed Food Forever

Top 10 Kitchen Inventions That Changed Food Forever

From fire to the air fryer, humans have a remarkable history of innovating in the kitchen. Discover the 10 kitchen inventions that changed food forever, in this episode of History Countdown.

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Inventions & Science
Multiple ascending explosions of smoke and fire upon impact on a black background

From gold rushes to guerrilla wars, dynamite’s dual legacy is one of construction and destruction.

Yellow tape measure with a variety of weight loss medication on blue background.

From thyroid hormones to amphetamine to the “fen-phen” craze, weight-loss drugs have emerged and continuously faced scrutiny, largely due to unintended health effects. 

A view of Earth from 1 million miles away.

Here is the origin story of Earth—the only place we know life to exist.

The first USB flash drives hit the market in the late 1990s and were a game-changer. No more bulky floppy disks or slow CD-Rs—USB drives were small, portable and lightning-fast.

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Vacuum cleaning a carpet.

Early versions of a carpet cleaning device were pulled by a horse, but it was a janitor who came up with a portable model you could plug in.

"Necessity is the mother of invention."

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Which of these toys were your favorite growing up?

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Albert Einstein sticks out his tongue.

On March 14, 1951, Albert Einstein was celebrating his 72nd birthday at the Princeton Club in New Jersey when a group of photographers asked to take a photo.

Peyton Manning and guests take us through the greatest cars of all time.

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Grace Hopper, often called the mother of computer science, invented the first program that converted common-language commands into binary computer code, revolutionizing computer science and laying the groundwork for the programming languages we have today

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FILES - Illustration taken on March 14,

Many associate aspirin with willow bark, but the pills in your cabinet don’t come from a tree.

On October 29, 1969, Stanford programmer Bill Duvall sent a one-word message to student programmer Charley Kline who was 350 miles away at UCLA. This one-word message - "login" - was sent between two computers, each the size of large room. This message marked the first inter-computer communication, which many consider to be the birth of the internet.

The race to construct the first underwater telegraph intensifies after pressure to connect the U.S. to other countries increases.

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A chicken farm in Australia. Such farms can be a source of avian influenza outbreaks.

Avian influenza has been sickening birds at least since the 1800s—and has been a factor in the emergence of human pandemics.

Illustration of an asteroid or comet striking the surface of the Earth, created on July 19, 2015.

Early in its existence, massive asteroids smashed into Earth with lasting consequences for our planet’s geology and life.

A 2017 composite image of the moon.

Despite its timeless appearance, the moon has not always been in Earth's orbit, and scientists continue to investigate its true age.

Engines ablaze. Tire blowouts at 300 mph. Sonic booms. The quest to break world land-speed records is not for the faint-hearted.

Children using sign language to sing the US national anthem, in Evandale, Ohio, 1935.

An 18th-century sign language in France helped inspire an American version that developed through collaboration among the Deaf community.

A naked mole rat walks through a tunnel.

From a buck-toothed rodent to a shark that doesn't reach puberty until age 150, find out what creatures have the make-up for exceptional longevity.

Coupon clipping.

Americans have been cashing in coupons since the 19th century. But the practice really took off during the Great Depression.

tap water

The benefits of fluoridated water was discovered in the early 1900s, when health officials in a Colorado city noticed residents had stained, but remarkably healthy teeth.

Generic barcode picture

Barcode tech was first patented in 1949, but engineers came up with the UPC code in the 1970s to answer a need for better efficiency in grocery stores.

Medics helping the wounded onto stretchers, World War I.

The carnage of World War I drove advances in new techniques and tools to collect and store blood and offer safe transfusions.

Storm surge pushing water ashore during a hurricane.

The first recorded hurricane forecast was issued by a Jesuit priest in 1875. A series of critical tools have since refined the science.

Operators in the Muzak Master Control Room, New York, New York, 1950.

Eisenhower installed 'elevator music' in the White House and NASA used it in astronaut training, but its inventor came up with many other, more impactful inventions in his lifetime.

A woman fastens her seat belt, circa 1970.

Seat belts came in simpler designs before safety concerns drove innovation, leading to the three-point version that is standard today.

1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Charles Richter worked with Beno Gutenberg to develop one of the first data-driven ways of comparing earthquakes.

Detail of the 'bikini girls' mosaic showing girls playing sports, 315-350 A.D.

While bras shape women’s bodies, the development of bras has been shaped by world events.

Skull of a man from ancient Egypt.

When a chemist discovered that carbon atoms could be used to date ancient remains, he devised a method that upended archaeology.

Dolly the cloned sheep.

When news broke in 1997 that scientists had cloned a sheep, the world reacted in shocked amazement—and fear over the possibility of human cloning.

Josephine Garis Cochran as a young woman (left), a patent for Cochran's washing machine invention (right).

Josephine Garis Cochran had no formal mechanical engineering education, but she designed, built, marketed and sold her dishwashing machine back in the 1880s.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Magie in 1892.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Magie designed her original board game as a critique, not a tribute, to capitalism.

teleprompter

Early versions were developed as a convenience, but the device evolved to transform delivery in politics, news and entertainment.

Condom made from sheep intestine, c. 1800.

Ancient Romans used versions made from linen, as well as animal intestines, to prevent the spread of infection.

Louis Braille

At just age 15, Braille devised a revolutionary system using raised dots to expand reading options for blind students like himself.

The Internet got its start in the United States more than 50 years ago as a government weapon in the Cold War. Unlike technologies such as the light bulb or the telephone, the Internet has no single “inventor.” Instead, it has evolved over time.

Animatronic pirate figures with realistic looking heads and robotic bodies lean over to be seen by visitors to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride

From Technicolor to Animatronics to Droids in Training, Disney artists and engineers have continually broken new creative ground.

During the height of the Industrial Revolution, Josephine Cochran changed the game by inventing the first commercially successful automatic dishwasher, in this clip from Season 1, "Home Tech Revolution."

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After much trial and error, Alexander Graham Bell finally invents the first telephone, which eventually replaces the telegraph - connecting the universe in more ways than one, in this clip from Season 1, "Telephone Wars."

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An Enigma cipher machine model.

These secret codes enabled secure communication—at least until others found ways to crack them.

Rosalind Franklin

Franklin's work paved the way for Watson and Crick's breakthrough discovery of the DNA double helix.

Albert Einstein in 1905.

Albert Einstein's concept of general relativity is now a bedrock of physics, but it took years to confirm.

Hedy Lamarr

Lamarr was a glamorous movie star by day, but she was also a gifted, self-trained inventor who developed a technology to help sink Nazi U-boats.

From sleeping outside, to installing windows designed for airflow, find out how people tried to stay cool during heat waves before AC.

Hand-colored advertisement from the 1910s showing four children in pajamas holding giant toothbrushes leaning over a giant tube of toothpaste. Caption says: "Armed to the teeth."

The dental hygiene tools available to our ancestors have evolved—but still bear a striking resemblance to what's used today.

Flame from a lit match.

Sometimes, the unexpected inspires new inventions.

Vintage G.I. Joe figures

In the late 1970s, smaller 'Star Wars' action figures took over.

National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California

From a magnet that can lift an aircraft carrier to a turbine blade longer than a football field, these brawny behemoths get the big jobs done.

How the Flu Became Endemic

Since the 1940s, the World Health Organization has worked with different countries to keep the flu endemic by identifying strains and watching for signs of a pandemic.

Schoolboys Playing with Hula Hoop - stock photo

Some toys sprang from failed scientific experiments. Other were inspired by parents' jobs.

The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Was a Bold, Short-Lived Success

After much ado, the US and Britain laid the first successful cable under the ocean in August 1858. It stopped working weeks later.

Why the Construction of the Panama Canal Was So Difficult—and Deadly

A staggering 25,000 workers lost their lives. And artificial limb makers clamored for contracts with the canal builders.

10 World Engineering Marvels

These remarkable feats of design and construction transformed the ways people travel, communicate and live.

How the Renaissance Influenced Reformation

As interest in cultural, intellectual and scientific exploration flourished, support for an all-powerful church diminished.

Salesman demonstrating an electric refrigerator to a shopper, c. 1920

Electric appliances large and small promised reduced drudgery.

The Chicken Pox vaccine.

The highly contagious disease dates to ancient times and spread easily in households and classrooms—until the development of a vaccine.

Inventor Philo T. Farnsworth with his invention, the first electronic television

Multiple inventors deserve credit for the technology, which had its origins in the 19th century.

Many inventions that we use today were invented by the military - from zippers to Super Glue and even computers. Find out more in this episode of History Countdown.

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Frederick Patterson standing beside a bare Patterson-Greenfield automobile chassis, probably for a larger touring car body.

C.R. Patterson & Sons, which started as a carriage building firm, produced luxury roadsters and, later, bodies for service vehicles.

1959 Cadillac tail fin and tail light

Here are the milestones and innovations that drove the automotive revolution.

Isolated in his family home from the Black Plague, Isaac Newton devised some of the most important scientific concepts of his time.

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Stranded in space, the Apollo 13 astronauts managed to find their way back home by using technology invented centuries earlier.

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Dr. Maurice Hilleman was already an expert in viruses and vaccines when a strange flu broke out in Hong Kong in 1957. But only he saw the threat it could pose around the world.

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5 Mashup Inventions That Have Stood the Test of Time

It wasn't until the 20th century that inventors looked past single-use products.

The Italian astronomer argued that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun. Then he paid a price.

How Pandemics Spurred Cities to Make More Green Space for People

From wider, tree-lined boulevards to lush parks, some of the world’s most famous urban landscapes were shaped by 19th-century cholera pandemics.

The census has been around since the beginning of the United States, which meant the entire population had to be counted by hand. Until one inventor saw a better way forward.

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While Daylight Savings is fairly harmless today, it's origins lie in one of the most violent episodes of world history.

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How 5 of History's Worst Pandemics Finally Ended

While some of the earliest pandemics faded by wiping out parts of the population, medical and public health initiatives were able to halt the spread of other diseases.

When Doctors Figured Out Hand-Washing Prevents Infection

It wasn't until the mid-19th century that doctors realized going straight from an autopsy to the maternity ward was not a good idea.

Thomas Edison

Edison's genius was improving on others' technologies and making them more practical for the general public.

Frustrated with the time spent cleaning his ice rink, Frank Zamboni did what any good inventor would do, and went to the drawing board.

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Snowmobiles are a common winter sight, but there was a time when driving in the snow took a bit more creativity.

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For millennia, six-legged soldiers have been conscripted to torment enemies.

Early researchers used horse hairs and burning machines to try to quantify people’s physical suffering.

We love marshmallows in hot chocolate and s'mores, but before they were a campfire treat, these fluffy pillows were used as medicine!

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Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood actress, is known for more than her acting—she invented a signal-hopping technology used in Wi-Fi.

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Nuclear bombs played a key role in the planning and building of the Interstate Highway System.

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Love it or hate it, the beer can is an iconic part of American culture. But there was a time when the beer can was almost made extinct.

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The invention of charcoal briquets came about thanks to a glamping trip by Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

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The ice cream cone is one of America’s favorite treats, but it was actually a happy accident that gave us this beloved dessert.

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Kellogg's Battle Creek Sanitarium

Patients—including presidents, business titans and movie stars—flocked to his Battle Creek Sanitarium, where treatments included 15-quart enemas and electrical currents to the eyeballs.

These aircraft, tanks, rocket launchers and more serve as the workhorses of American warfare. One has even earned the nickname "the finger of God."

The First Nonstop Transatlantic Flight

John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown flew across the Atlantic with the help of a sextant, whisky and coffee in 1919—eight years before Charles Lindbergh's flight.

K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider

From the Batmobile to Mr. Bean's Minis...from KITT to General Lee...here are some of the coolest, most memorable small-screen car stars.

1983 Corvette

Behind the mysterious gap year of America's quintessential sports car.

American history author David McCullough explores the near fatal accident Wilbur Wright had while testing an airplane.

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Whooping Cough

As the Great Depression raged, scientists Pearl Kendrick and Grace Eldering developed the first effective pertussis vaccine on a shoestring budget.

Einstein's theory of relativity paved the way for black holes' discovery, but the concept behind their existence was so bizarre that even the scientific visionary was not convinced.

Autopilot has existed since 1912. But some experts worry that too much plane automation introduces danger.

Measles vaccine

Scientists had to overcome problems with the vaccine’s safety, then public health officials had to take on complacency about the disease.

Marie Curie, Nobel prize winner, also invented mobile radiology units and saved numerous lives in World War I.

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Coffee is one of America's favorite drinks, even going back to the country's earliest days. As shown in this caffeinated tribute, the 1960s were no exception.

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Soybeans

The soybean originated in China, but its history in the U.S. has ranged from an experimental crop to a Civil War coffee substitute, to a leading U.S. export.

The origin story of the first iPhone reveals that Jobs was just trying to make a really cool phone.

In the late 19th century, thousands of premature babies' lives were saved—while attracting oglers at amusement parks.

In 1908, the Wright Brothers began testing what would become the first U.S. Army airplane. Many people who witnessed these tests had never seen a man take flight. Within ten years, entire battles would be fought in the sky.

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For just shy of 50 years, General Motors had been making some of the most popular cars in the country. In 1954, they celebrated their 50 Millionth automobile in style.

On November 23, 1954, General Motors celebrated their 50 millionth car by throwing a massive parade in Flint, Michigan – the home of Chevrolet's Motor Division. The celebration featured bands, dancers, floats, and the 50 millionth car itself, a gold-plated Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe.

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Engineers once believed flying at the speed of sound would be impossible, but on October 14, 1947 U.S. Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager’s sonic boom changed history.

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An illustrated poster of early Hot Wheels toys, now highly collectible

For the first few years, they originally sold for less than a buck.

Driver Don Garlits, 1971

These thrill seekers liked to make things go zoom-zoom—and risked their lives in the process.

A couple posing on either side of a silver 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible sports car

The Goat? The 'Cuda? The Boss Nine? It's a question that sparks fierce debate.

German-born physicist and mathematician Albert Einstein, 1944. (Credit: Popperfoto/Getty Images)

The famed physicist would later denounce racism, but his diaries reveal shocking reflections from when he was a young man.

Sonic weapons have been used for literally thousands of years to disrupt, confuse and even injure opponents.

Printing office, c1600.Printing office, c1600. On the left compositors are at work setting up text using letters from a 'case' in front of them. In the centre background type is being inked ready to be printed on to paper in a flatbed screwjack press at centre right. Paper is hung up to allow ink to dry before being stacked in a pile by a boy at centre front. A master printer in a fur-lined gown supervises the enterprise. From Nova reperta by Joannes Stradanus (Jan van der Straet). (Antwerp, c1600). (Photo by Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images)

The printing press, which allows for the mass production of printed matter, originated in China before Johannes Gutenberg perfected his version around 1450.

Colorized photo of Nikola Tesla. (Credit: Prometheus Entertainment)

The FBI has finally declassified its files on Nikola Tesla, but questions remain.

Viagra

The ‘little blue pill’ helped the world talk about sex. But 20 years after its FDA approval, what has it really done for relationships? Esther Perel weighs in.

The retailer turned everyone into a “Toys ‘R’ Us kid”… by driving its competition out of existence.

Firearm Laws To Be Tightened In Britain LONDON - JANUARY 6: Airsoft plastic BB guns are on display in a shop selling the hobbyist replica firearms January 6, 2003 in London. British Home Secretary David Blunkett has confirmed plans to tighten firearms laws, which will see a mandatory jail sentence of five years for gun possession. The announcement was made after two teenage girls were killed at a New Year's party in Birmingham but the Government insists it had been planned for some time. Replica and Airsoft guns will not be affected by the new laws. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

The American Revolution was fought—and won—with guns, and the weapons have become ingrained in U.S. culture, but the invention of firearms started long before colonists ever settled on North American soil. The origin of firearms began with gunpowder and...

School children gargling their throats as a precaution against the Influenza epidemic, England

The flu, or influenza, is a highly contagious viral infection that mainly affects the respiratory system. It’s usually a seasonal illness, with yearly outbreaks killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Though rare, completely new versions of the virus may infect people and spread quickly, resulting in pandemics (an infection that spreads throughout the world) with death tolls in the millions.

These are the playthings that caused sellouts and stampedes.

Shigeru Miyamoto, creative fellow at Nintendo and creator of Super Mario, speaks on stage during an Apple launch event, 2016.

Originally a second banana character in 'Donkey Kong' in 1981, Mario went on to conquer the video game world.

PTSD Symptoms Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that occurs when someone witnesses or experiences a severely traumatic event. This can include war or combat, serious accidents, natural disasters, terrorism, or violent personal ...

Cluttered pile of many colorful Lego bricks.

If it wasn’t for a series of fires, the iconic toy may never have been built.

Cholera epidemic in Europe: travellers from Switzerland en route for Italy being kept in quarantine at Bardonnechia, Italy, for five days. Illustration published London, 16 August 1884...UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 1754: Cholera epidemic in Europe: travellers from Switzerland en route for Italy being kept in quarantine at Bardonnechia, Italy, for five days. Illustration published London, 16 August 1884 (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

What Is Cholera? Cholera is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. The bacteria typically live in waters that are somewhat salty and warm, such as estuaries and waters along coastal areas. People contract V. cholerae after d...

Nintendo game consoles In Japan circa 1992

Though video games are found today in homes worldwide, they actually got their start in the research labs of scientists early 1950s. Academics designed simple games, like tic-tac-toe and tennis for two, as part of their research or for fun on the side.

A traffic jam as East Germans emigrate following the fall of the Berlin Wall. (Credit: Thierry Orban/Sygma via Getty Images)

Bumper-to-bumper roadblocks that left drivers stranded for days.

Portrait of Alan Turing. (Credit: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The first chess algorithm didn’t even run on a computer.

People didn’t always need birth certificates.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette.

Which were the most influential cars in U.S. automotive history? Here are our picks:

Authorities stand near the Fire Ball amusement ride after it malfunctioned, injuring several at the Ohio State Fair, Wednesday, July 26, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio.

For over a century, roller coasters and other amusement park rides have provided thrills by walking the line between scary and fun.

Pedal Your Way Through the Bicycle’s Bumpy History; A group of cycling enthusiasts on their Victorian-style penny farthings, training for a race. (Credit: Douglas Miller/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

The two-wheeler evolved—and seriously improved—over the course of a century, thanks to several different inventors.

Albert Einstein may have been a genius, but when it came to relationships, he was just as clueless as the rest of us—maybe even more so. In a letter written near the end of his life to the family of his closest friend, Michele Besso, the great physicist shared poignant regrets about his two marriages […]

These futuristic visions have yet to come to fruition, either because of technological limitations or market viability—or both.

While the advent of train travel altered previously held concepts of time and distance, learn about 10 railways and train journeys that also changed the course of history.

Henrietta Lacks

Author of 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' discusses the extraordinary ways medical research benefitted from an African American woman's cells—without her consent.

A new book investigates the truth behind famous quotations that have been wrongly attributed, misremembered, garbled in translation—or are flat-out fake.

Two U.S. Navy BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles

Explore the history of this iconic weapon.

An overhead close up horizontal photograph of two Pi Pies, one displays the π symbol itself and the other one shows the value of 3.14. The pies were baked to commemorate March the 14th as Pi Day.

The date has been an official annual celebration of the mathematical sign since 2009.

Alexander Graham Bell

10 surprising facts about the widely acknowledged inventor of the telephone.

Alberto Santos-Dumont the Brazilian aeronaut aboard his record winning 14 bis tail-first biplane.

You've heard of the Wright Brothers—but what about Alberto Santos-Dumont or Gustave Whitehead?

From ancient Greek elections to a famously corrupt contest from 19th century Louisiana, get the facts on eight of history’s most notable lotteries.

Famed train engineer Casey Jones, sitting in the cab of engine No 638, 1900. This photo was taken shortly after Jones was assigned to the engine. JW McKinnie, standing in the gangway is the man who fired for Casey for two years. This famous locomotive was known for its highly polished six-chime bell. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

Casey Jones was a locomotive engineer who became a folk hero after his death in a train crash in 1900 was commemorated in a number of songs. According to legend, Jones died with one hand on the train’s whistle and the other hand on its brake. Born John Luther Jones in Missouri in 1863, the […]

Survivors describe the invisible wounds sustained after Pearl Harbor, and the measures they took to heal them.

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Pinball machines moved to police warehouse, Meeker Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

It may be hard to believe, but not too long ago major American cities banned pinball out of fear of the arcade game’s effect on crime, juvenile delinquency and morality.

'The Automaton Chess Player', 1845. Illustration published in The Illustrated London News.

For much of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a chess-playing automaton known as the “Turk” drew huge crowds at exhibitions across Europe and the United States.

Warning to foreign tourists that in Australia they must drive on the left. (Photographed on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia. (Photo by: Ken Welsh/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Archaeological evidence suggests that the ancient Romans may have driven their carts and chariots on the left, and the practice seems to have carried over into parts of medieval Europe. The reasons for this are not entirely certain, but some believe it arose as a matter of safety. The majority of people are right handed, […]

A 1992 copy of the world's first web page. (Credit: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

On August 6, 1991, without fanfare, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee published the first-ever website while working at CERN, the huge particle physics lab in Switzerland.

Explore the celebrated roadway, which was made obsolete by high-speed interstates and decommissioned by the federal government in 1985—although much of it remains drivable today.

(Credit: halbergman/http://www.istockphoto.com)

In 1886, German inventor Karl Benz patented what is generally regarded as the first modern car. Less than two decades later, in 1903, Massachusetts and Missouri became the first states to require a driver’s license, although it wasn’t necessary to pass a test to obtain one. In 1908, Henry Ford launched the Model T, the […]

(Credit: Nina Shannon/www.istockphoto.com)

Explore the surprising history behind the evolution of the nickel.

Bessie Coleman and her plane in 1922.

From an early glider experimenter to the first man to fly solo around the world, here are six lesser-known pilots and inventors who made their mark on aviation.

From an oar-powered prototype to the original U.S. Navy submarine, here are nine undersea vehicles that were among the first in history to take the plunge.

Watercolour portrait by Alfred Edward Chalon of Ada King wearing evening dress with a mantilla and holding a fan. Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (1815-1852) was the daughter of the great Romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824). She was a writer and a trained mathematician. King acquired fame by working with Charles Babbage (1791-1871) on the world's first computer, the �Analytical Engine�, which could carry out many different types of calculations. She designed several computer programmes for the engine which were coded onto cards with holes punched in them - thus becoming the world's first computer programmer.

Check out 10 surprising facts about the pioneering woman often cited as the world’s first computer programmer.

Eli Whitney's idea for interchangeable parts led to the second wave of industrialization across the United States. Find out more about his life (and his cotton gin) in this video.

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Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

Many of modern society’s most cherished institutions and ideas—not to mention the objects we use every day—can trace their origins back to the ancient world.

Legend has it that a young Isaac Newton was sitting under an apple tree when he was bonked on the head by a falling piece of fruit, a 17th-century “aha moment” that prompted him to suddenly come up with his law of gravity. In reality, things didn’t go down quite like that. Newton, the son […]

Einstein’s groundbreaking scientific ideas made his name a synonym for genius, but he was also famous for his pacifist views and support of the civil rights movement. Explore nine surprising facts about one of the towering minds of the 20th century.

Get the facts on the iconic Italian astronomer and physicist.

An alchemist's workshop by David Teniers. (Credit:  Imagno/Getty Images)

From the Middle Ages to the late 17th-century, the so-called “philosopher’s stone” was the most sought-after goal in the world of alchemy, the medieval ancestor of chemistry. According to legend, the philosopher’s stone was a substance that could turn ordinary metals such as iron, tin, lead, zinc, nickel or copper into precious metals like gold […]

Find out more about this fascinating Englishman, from the job he held that involved sending people to the gallows to the cause of one of his most bitter rivalries.

Smallpox

The pernicious disease may have been infecting humans for 12,000 years.

The History of the Pretzel

In celebration of National Pretzel Day (April 26), explore the history of this popular snack food, from the seventh century to today.

New Coke

Coca-Cola’s disastrous attempt at rebranding Coke in 1985 delivered a painful lesson: Don't mess with a classic.

l Kodak film pack, c 1890.

From an ancient optical apparatus to the advent of color film, learn the stories behind eight of the most important steps in the development of photography

One of history’s most famous infectious disease carriers, she was put into forced isolation for more than two decades.

Sir Isaac NewtonENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) .Canvas. (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images) [Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) . Gemaelde.]

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1927) was an English mathematician and physicist who developed influential theories on light, calculus and celestial mechanics. Years of research culminated with the 1687 publication of “Principia,” his landmark work that established the universal laws of motion and gravity.

The Current Wars: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse

The epic race to standardize the electrical system—later known as the War of the Currents—lit up 19th-Century America.

HUNGRY Who Invented Sliced Bread?

Bread may be one of the world’s oldest prepared foods. But pre-slicing was a 20th-century innovation.

When Thomas Edison demonstrated the first practical incandescent light bulb on New Year’s Eve 1879, it marked the dawn of the electric age.

Dewey Beats Truman

From a July 2 Independence Day to a doomed Civil War general’s last words, get the facts on seven predictions that were famously off the mark.

Speed motion in tunnel - stock photo

In ancient times, many scientists believed the speed of light was infinite and could travel any distance instantaneously. The Italian physicist Galileo Galilee was among the first to try to measure the speed of light. In the early 17th century, he devised an experiment in which two people with covered lanterns stood a known distance […]

Before his death, Nikola Tesla was reportedly working on what the press called a "Death Ray." It was a weapon so powerful it could obliterate military targets from hundreds of miles away, but did it actually exist?

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Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Austrian neurologist. Founder of Psychoanalysis. (Colorised black and white print). (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

Check out 10 surprising facts about the father of modern psychoanalysis.

Serbian-American inventor and discoverer of magnetic field rotations leading to the use of alternating-currents in electrical machinery and the induction coil known as the "Tesla coil."

Check out some fascinating facts about the Serbian-American physicist and engineer.

How Canned Food Revolutionized The Way We Eat

In the 18th century, the French government hosted a competition to find a better means of food preservation. The winning invention changed how the world ate.

Full length rear view of female friends talking with male food truck owner in city on sunny day - stock photo

This week we’ll take a look at the surprisingly long history of mobile dining.

Greek Art, Slab with inscription at Phidias Workshop ruins, built in 430 BC to house the statue of Zeus, In the fifth century, Theodosius II turned the building into an early Christian church, Olympia, Greece.

The first writing system is believed to have developed during the second millennium B.C.

On the 200th anniversary of Samuel Colt’s birth, learn 10 surprising facts about the gun manufacturer and industrialist.

Who Invented the Sandwich?

An 18th-century English nobleman helped popularize the snack—so much so that it eventually took on his name.

If you’re a scientist, a student or a citizen of any country in the world except for the United States, Myanmar or Liberia, there’s no avoiding the metric system. The system, featuring meters, liters and kilograms, was adopted following the French Revolution and devised by a group of French scientists in an effort to create […]

Medicine, Beauty

The barber pole’s colors are a legacy of a (thankfully) long-gone era when people went to barbers not just for a haircut or shave but also for bloodletting and other medical procedures. During the Middle Ages bloodletting, which involves cutting open a vein and allowing blood to drain, was a common treatment for a wide […]

History of M&M's

The beloved chocolate candies have been to war and space and back again—and for more than 10 years the red ones went missing in action.

Ships, Naval History

Ancient mariners used to gauge how fast their ship was moving by throwing a piece of wood or other floatable object over the vessel’s bow then counting the amount of time that elapsed before its stern passed the object. This method was known as a Dutchman’s log. By the late 16th century, sailors had begun […]

Commonly seen on doctor’s prescription pads and signs in pharmacies, Rx is the symbol for a medical prescription. According to most sources, Rx is derived from the Latin word “recipe,” meaning “take.” Among several alternative theories, however, is the belief that the Rx symbol evolved from the Eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol associated […]

Elevators

Although elevators may seem like a modern invention, devices used to transport people or goods vertically have been around for thousands of years. According to the writings of Vitruvius, the Greek mathematician Archimedes created a primitive elevator in 236 B.C. that was operated by hoisting ropes wound around a drum and rotated by manpower applied […]

Explore six lasting legacies of the 1964 New York World’s Fair on the 50th anniversary of its opening.

HUNGRY Delightful, Delicious Dumplings

From Italian ravioli, to Polish piroshky, to Chinese pot stickers, the humble dumpling is beloved by eaters around the world.

Bloodletting scene at a Grecian sick bed.

Doctors are supposed to operate under the maxim “do no harm,” but history shows this has sometimes been easier said than done.

Zircon crystal found in Jack Hills region of Australia

Researchers have confirmed that a tiny gem found in western Australia is the oldest known piece of Earth, dating back some 4.4 billion years.

The History of Chocolate

Originally consumed as a bitter drink, it was prized as both an aphrodisiac and an energy booster.

English naturalist and co-originator of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)

10 surprising facts about the famed evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin.

According to new research by a Canadian historian, the 1918 flu outbreak that killed 50 million people originated in China.

A history of nothingness.

Girl Scout offers cookie to TV's Jinx Falkenburg McCrary, marking opening of $650,000 fund drive by the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York. BPA2# 1264

Get the story behind the annual event and find out how to make a batch of your own.

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, in 1999.

As you might expect for a technology so expansive and ever-changing, it is impossible to credit the invention of the internet to a single person. The internet was the work of dozens of pioneering scientists, programmers and engineers who each developed new features and technologies that eventually merged to become the “information superhighway” we know […]

A painting depicting Orville Wright piloting the Wright Flyer 1 and being chased by his brother Wilbur Wright during the first manned flight on December 17, 1903 at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Painting by Ed Vebell

Check out 10 things you may not know about the aviation pioneers.

A bowl of popcorn.

Americans eat about a million pounds of the stuff a year.

Get the full story behind the aches, pains and dangerous history of the flu.

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Two cherry popsicles in a bowl.

The mastermind behind this summer indulgence wasn’t a marketing honcho, or even a chef—it was an 11-year-old boy.

What would happen if the world's oil supply suddenly dried up? Fordham University Professor Christiana Peppard imagines what a world without oil would be like.

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Thomas Edison wasn’t the only inventor to lay claim to the light bulb, so whose bright idea was it? Ask History finds out.

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Chopsticks picking up noodles from a steaming bowl.

From their humble beginnings as cooking utensils to paper-wrapped bamboo sets at the sushi counter, there’s more to chopsticks than meets the eye.

Sen. Edward Kennedy and his brothers, John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy , are shown at Hyannisport, Massachusetts. Being the complete politician is something the Senator learned from his father and brothers.

Explore some of history’s most famous sibling pairs.

Salt

Not just tasty but essential for life, salt has a long and tumultuous history all its own.

American painter-turned-inventor Samuel Morse (1791 - 1872) sends the first public telegram from the Supreme Court chamber in the Capitol, Washington, DC, to Baltimore, 24th May 1844. Morse sent the message 'What hath God Wrought?' (Photo by Authenticated News/Getty Images)

A tragic event in Morse's life started him on his path towards inventing the telegraph.

Demographics

According to estimates, more than 7 billion people live on our planet. Each day, some 200,000 new babies add to this figure, which works out to roughly 140 additional people per minute. Over an entire year, about 80 million humans are born—a number comparable to the combined populations of California, Texas and New York. Not […]

From pioneering inventions to bold scientific and medical advancements, find out more about 11 innovations that changed the course of human history.

The Orient Express returns to the Gare d'Austerlitz, Paris to celebrate a recent railway exhibition in Paris, 13th December 1978.

From the earliest steam locomotives to today’s high-speed 'bullet trains,' here are eight things you may not know about the 'iron horse.'

The world's first automobile: a 3-wheeled open buggy designed by Carl Benz in 1886, seen in the Dresden Transport Museum

It’s hard to credit a single person with inventing the automobile. Not only did an estimated 100,000 patents lead to cars as we know them, but people also disagree on what qualifies as the first true automobile.  For historians who think that early steam-powered road vehicles fit the bill, the answer is Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, a […]

Paper-cut - Dollar sign. These are scalpel cut real dollar notes. All hand crafted.

If you're wondering where the dollar sign ($) came from, you're in good company.

Find out about some of the weird and wacky ways people have attempted to curb or conceal their hair loss over the centuries.

Looking for an innovative dental hygiene enthusiast to thank next time you polish your pearly whites? Turns out it’s not that simple. People have been cleaning their teeth for millennia, starting with the ancient Egyptians, who are thought to have scrubbed their choppers with a special powder made from ox hooves and eggshells as far […]

Pizza

Did you know pizza took the United States by storm before it became popular in its native Italy?

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: A military aide holds U.S. Army Master Sgt. Matthew Williams' Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. Serving with Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha in Afghanistan's Shok Valley in 2008, Williams repeatedly risked his life to evacuate four wounded teammates and lead counterassaults after they were pinned down by enemy fire during a mission to capture or kill high-value targets. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Discover six things you may not know about the Medal of Honor and its recipients.

Physicist Leon Lederman moves the hands of the Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight on February 27, 2002.

Since its debut in 1947, the clock's minute hand has indicated the potential for global destruction—or world peace.

Thomas Edison had over 400 patents in just 8-years, but not all his ideas took off. See some bizarre failures from the Wizard of Menlo Park.

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Shots of a test nuclear explosion in Hawaii. | Courtesy of the Department of Energy Nevada Operations Office

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History Uncut The History Channel: 1987 - A young Gates, donned with oversized glasses that refuse to stay in place, answers questions from the press about his dazzling new software Microsoft Excel, which "really improves the quality of your output." This video clip is courtesy of The History Channel.

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Ancient civilizations used advanced engineering techniques to access water for both health and luxury.

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A look at some common, and not so common contraceptives.

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History takes a closer look at one of the greatest minds the world has ever seen. Find out what you have always wanted to know about Albert Einstein.

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Who inspired Henry Ford to get into the car business? See why motorized wheels have been called one of the greatest inventions in modern history.

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Albert Einstein began his career as a patent clerk in Switzerland and was known for being a daydreamer.

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The ambitious Albert Einstein challenges centuries of scientific thought with his new controversial idea, the General Theory of Relativity.

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Some things you might not know about this vital transportation system and role it plays in supporting the backbone of American industry.

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In a Mail Call video, R. Lee Ermey answers a question from Rusty of Laurel Hill, Florida, who wants to know what the first helicopter used in combat was. Ermey explains that Russian emigrant Igor Sikorsky was the inventor of this helicopter, called the R-4. The year of 1943 was when Sikorskys R-4 became the worlds first helicopter to go into mass production; it was also the first helicopter in U.S. Military service and the first to operate from a ships deck. After a few modifications, the helicopter became the YR-4B and on April 25th, 1944 it became the first helicopter to ever fly in combat. Pilot LT. Carter Harmon used the YB-R4 to rescue 4 men who had crash landed in extremely rough terrain.

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Inspired by a childhood toy, Orville and Wilbur go on to design and fly the world's first powered airplane.

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History takes a closer look at one of the greatest minds the world has ever seen. Find out what you have always wanted to know about Albert Einstein.

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Alexander Graham Bell thought he was on to something, but no one wanted his new invention. Hear the first verbal messages to travel by wire and through the air.

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The awe-inspiring Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s from enough concrete to create a two-lane highway from Los Angeles to Boston. How long did America's largest, man-made reservoir take to complete?

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In 1922, Albert Einstein finally proves his General Theory of Relativity and that same year wins the Nobel Prize, but surprisingly not for his famous theory.

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Take a look at some of the most luxurious cars ever manufactured, including the Cadillac v16, the Mercedes Gullwing and the Lamborghini Countach.

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The first radio signals beamed across America In the early 20th century. See how this cultural revolution began.

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History takes a closer look at one of the greatest minds the world has ever seen. Find out what you have always wanted to know about Albert Einstein.

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Although a popular concept since the 1960s, this flying invention never quite got off the ground. Find out why.

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Nuclear submarines are priceless military jewels, owned and operated by only a handful of countries. Find out what it takes to operate one of these prized vessels.

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The Dymaxion House, invented by Buckminster Fuller, lead to the geodesic dome concept. See how it rocked the world of architecture.

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In this video clip of History's Mail Call, host R. Lee Ermey takes a look at what kind of rockets were the first used in combat. In 1807 William Congreve created the Congreve Rocket which was used in the Napoleonic Wars. It weighed 32 pounds and could fire 2,000 yards in about 29 seconds.

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Albert Einstein published four important scientific papers in 1905, referred to as his Miracle Year.

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Thomas Edison gave us the light bulb, but it wasn't easy. See how multiple failures lead to a revolution that helped light up the world.

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Find out how Henry Ford's Model T revolutionized transportation in America.

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Thomas Edison's most famous invention, the lightbulb, paved the way for modern life.

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Find out why Galileo's beliefs in a heliocentric solar system threatened the Catholic Church and caused him to stand trial for heresy.

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Eating meat may have allowed our ancestors to grow fruitful, multiply and spread across the planet, a new study suggests.

penny, money, currency

Explore surprising facts about the one-cent coin.

Heart valve replacement surgery, operating room, Reykjavik, Iceland

As news breaks of the longest organ transplant chain to date, explore the history of these potentially lifesaving procedures.

Marie Sklodowka Curie (1867 - 1934) in her laboratory. She shared a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 with her husband Pierre for their work in radioactivity. In 1911 she became one of the few people to be awarded a second Nobel Prize, this time in chemisty for her discovery of poloium and radium. Her daugther and son-in-law also shared a Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1935 for work in radioactive materials. He went on to become the first chairman of the French atomic energy commission. France.

Marie Curie won not just one Nobel Prize in her lifetime, but two, for her groundbreaking work in radioactivity.

English naturalist and co-originator of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882). (Photo by Spencer Arnold Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Last week, Charles Darwin became the latest “patient” at an annual conference that aims to unravel the medical mysteries of long-dead historical figures.

black pc keyboard, keyboard is very useful tool for personal computer, it is necessary to write words

Invention of the PC: The Computer Age The earliest electronic computers were not “personal” in any way: They were enormous and hugely expensive, and they required a team of engineers and other specialists to keep them running. One of the first and most ...

New research suggests that a layer of molten rock or magma may lie some 1,800 miles beneath our feet, sandwiched in between the Earth's core and its lower mantle.

Galileo GalileiCirca 1610, Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer Galileo (Galilei) (1564 - 1642). (Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images)

Galileo’s Early Life, Education and Experiments Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa in 1564, the first of six children of Vincenzo Galilei, a musician and scholar. In 1581 he entered the University of Pisa at age 16 to study medicine, but was soon sidetrac...

Man Driving Ford Model T A man drives a Ford Model T automobile in the 1920's. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Model T, sold by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927, was the earliest effort to make a car that most people could actually buy. It became so popular at one point that a majority of Americans owned one, directly helping rural Americans become more connected with the rest of the country and leading to the numbered highway system.

Vintage anesthesia equipment - stock photo

Development of Ether Before its development as a surgical anesthetic, ether was used throughout the history of medicine, including as a treatment for ailments such as scurvy or pulmonary inflammation. A pleasant-smelling, colorless and highly flammable ...

Colt Walker Percussion Revolver, serial no. 1017, American, Whitneyville, Connecticut, 1847. Made by Eli Whitney.

Preindustrial Gunmaking Gunmaking was considered an extremely skilled craft in the 18th century, and firearms, including pistols and muskets, were all constructed by hand. In this way, every gun was a one-of-a-kind possession, and a gun broken could not...

Bugatti T13 Brescia in action, Prescott Hill Climb, Gloucestershire. Bugatti T13 Brescia in action, Prescott Hill Climb, Gloucestershire.The left front wheel of this Bugatti leaves the ground as the driver, H Moffat, negotiates a sharp bend. Bugatti Brescias were manufactured between 1914 and 1920. (Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

When Were Cars Invented? The 1901 Mercedes, designed by Wilhelm Maybach for Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, deserves credit for being the first modern motorcar in all essentials. Its thirty-five-horsepower engine weighed only fourteen pounds per horsepowe...

UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 19: The Ford Model T was introduced by Henry Ford (1863-1947) in 1908, and made by the Ford Motor Company in Detroit. By means of true mass production, this car was affordable for far more people than ever before. By 1913 motorised production lines were in use, enabling the Model T to be made in such quantities that, in 1915, a tourer cost half the price it was when first introduced. The new production methods were so speedy that only one paint, japan black enamel, would dry fast enough to prevent problems, hence the remark attributed to Ford that �Customers can have any color they want so long as it's black�. The Model T was hugely popular, and by the time it was phased out in 1927 over sixteen million vehicles had been made. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

“A Motor Car for the Great Multitude” Before Henry Ford introduced the Model T on October 1, 1908, horseless carriages–otherwise known as automobiles–were a luxury item, available only to an elite few. For this reason, many people viewed the autos and t...

Jaynee Hurd demonstrates the first automated teller machine at the Los Angeles branch of the Bank of California. Named "THAT", which stands for twenty-four hour automatic teller, the machine can perform ninety-five percent of the functions of a teller when operated by the bank's clients.

The Early Days of Automated Banking Many experts believe that the first automated banking machine was the creation of an American inventor and businessman named Luther Simjian. Simjian held patents on all kinds of things–including an army flight simulat...

HISTORY: The Transcontinental Railroad

In 1862, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad Companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from east to west. Over the next seven years, the two companies raced toward each other from Sacramento, California on the one side to Omaha, Nebraska on the other, struggling against great risks before they met at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869.

Eli Whitneycirca 1810: American inventor Eli Whitney (1765 - 1825), the inventor of the cotton gin. (Photo by MPI/Getty Images)

Whitney Learns About Cotton Eli Whitney was born on December 8, 1765, in Westborough, Massachusetts. Growing up, Whitney, whose father was a farmer, proved to be a talented mechanic and inventor. Among the objects he designed and built as a youth were a...

circa 1910: Italian physicist and inventor Guglielmo Marconi (1874 - 1937), who developed wireless communication. (Photo by Stock Montage/Stock Montage/Getty Images)

Guglielmo Marconi’s Early Years Guglielmo Marconi was born in 1874 in Bologna, Italy. His father was a wealthy landowner and his mother was a member of Ireland’s Jameson family of distillers. Marconi was educated by tutors and at the Livorno Technical I...

A group of businessmen watch inventor Alexander Graham Bell as he opens the New York-Chicago telephone line.

Alexander Graham Bell is known for his many inventions, especially the telephone and a metal detector. He later created the Bell Telephone Company, now AT&T.

The great American inventor Thomas Edison is surrounded by his creations.

Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor and businessman whose inventions include the phonograph, incandescent light bulb, motion picture camera and alkaline battery.

Samuel Morse's telegraph that was used to send the first telegraph messaged from Washington, DC to Baltimore on May 24, 1844

The telegraph and Morse code revolutionized long-distance communication after their invention in the 1800s by Samuel Morse and other inventors.

Portrait of American inventor Samuel Colt (1814 - 1862), the first man to patent the design for a revolver, which was adopted for the U.S. Army, circa 1860.

Early Years Samuel Colt was born on July 19, 1814, in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of textile manufacturer Christopher Colt and wife Sarah. By visiting his father’s mill in Ware, Massachusetts, and helping out at a nearby farm, the young Colt gained a...

Nikola Tesla, Serbian-American inventor, engineer and futurist

Serbian-American engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla made dozens of breakthroughs in the production, transmission and application of electric power.

A statue of Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus stands in his hometown of Toru, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland.

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer who developed a heliocentric theory of the solar system, upending the belief that Earth was the center of the universe.

Henry Ford

Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company in 1903, and five years later the company rolled out the first Model T. Ford introduced revolutionary new mass-production methods, including large production plants, the use of standardized, interchangeable parts and the world’s first moving assembly line for cars.

Picture of the Wright Brothers with Orville watching Wilbur take readings outdoors, circa 1908. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images).

The Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, were U.S. inventors and aviation pioneers who achieved one of the first flights with a powered airplane.

Is it true that Einstein helped invent the atomic bomb? No. In 1939, when he learned that scientists in Berlin had figured out how to split a uranium atom, Einstein wrote a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt urging him to do whatever it took to make...

Albert EinsteinPortrait of physicist Albert Einstein, sitting at a table holding a pipe, circa 1933. (Photo by Lambert/Keystone/Getty Images)

Einstein’s Early Life (1879-1904) Born on March 14, 1879, in the southern German city of Ulm, Albert Einstein grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Munich. As a child, Einstein became fascinated by music (he played the violin), mathematics and scie...