According to stereotypes in society, men are the engine of progress. However, women are also capable of amazing inventions. Most of the things they have invented are practical and convenient to use. So what things do we owe to women?
The circular saw
A weaver named Tabitha Babbitt noticed that the saws used in the woodworking industry were not particularly efficient. For example, to cut a thick trunk, two men would take hold of a long saw from different sides and begin alternately pulling it toward them. Tabitha had an idea how to increase the efficiency of the saw. In 1813, she created a device that consisted of a circular blade and a spinning wheel. The saw was driven by a foot pedal. This invention greatly simplified the work of cutting wood and changed woodworking technology for the better.
Dishwasher
In 1886 Josephine Cochrane was tired of her beloved china breaking too often when she washed it. This motivated her to create a special device that would wash dishes well without damaging them. And Josephine succeeded. However, her invention didn’t gain recognition until forty years later.
Cellular and Wi-Fi
Hedy Lamarr is well known as an actress, who in her youth starred in a scandalous film with explicit scenes. But it was she who in 1941 obtained a patent for a secret military communications device that dynamically changed the frequency of the broadcast, making it difficult for the enemy to intercept. In 1962 this technology was used in U.S. torpedoes, and today it is the basis of cell phones and Wi-Fi devices.
Car windshield wipers
A female passenger who was watching the driver during watching the driver, who was getting out of the car to clear the glass from the snow, during a snowfall, came up with a device based on a foot with a rubber clutch that was driven by the driver without leaving the cabin. That passenger was Mary Anderson, and her invention soon became part of the basic equipment of any car. Interestingly, Mary’s creation was initially attacked for being a device that would distract the driver.
Kevlar
Kevlar was born thanks to Stephanie Kwolek, PhD. In 1965, she worked on chains of low molecular weight structures that resulted in Kevlar, a material five times stronger than steel. It began to be used as the basis for body armor. Dr. Kwolek’s invention saved the lives of thousands of military personnel, police officers, and others.
The Bra
This piece of women’s closet was patented by Hermine Cadolle in France in 1889. In her corset workshop, Ms. Cadolle exhibited a product called leBien-Etre (“Well-being”). The cups of this bra were supported by two satin ribbons, and the structure was attached to a corset at the back.
Diapers
An ordinary housewife tired of the thankless task of constant diaper-washing, Marian Donovan, a stay-at-home mom of two, took a curtain and a sewing machine and, after several failed attempts, created the perfect waterproof diaper for her baby. Marian’s invention was recognized because her diapers didn’t cause diaper rash on babies, unlike the rubber products then available.
Silicone
Silicone was invented in 1970 by a woman sculptor, Patricia Billings. She wanted her concrete creations to be impervious to the ravages of time and set out to invent an elastic additive. After several years of experimentation, she achieved her goal by inventing an indestructible plaster. Patricia soon discovered that the material was surprisingly resistant to fire.
Programs for the computer
The first computer program was written by Ada Lovelace (née Byron), daughter of the famous poet George Gordon Byron. The program, an algorithm for computing Bernoulli numbers, was intended for computers, which in the middle of the 19th century existed only as a theoretical project. In the late 1970s, one of the first universal programming languages, Ada, was named after Lovelace.
COBOL – one of the first programming languages
Grace Hopper was a leader and innovator of the computer programming language. She played a leading role in the field of software description concepts, making a huge contribution to the transition from primitive to advanced computing technology. Her development, COBOL, was one of the first high-level computer programming languages. She also popularized the term “bug” or “debug” for correcting computer errors.
Leave a Comment