It’s Inventor Month! What’s your favourite invention?

Rachel_Scope
Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator
edited August 6 in Coffee lounge

There are so many amazing inventions that have transformed our lives.

In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and that’s something I definitely can’t live without. How did we survive before!? I’m sure there’ll be some pre-internet anecdotes that you can share!

A useful invention for me is the hot water bottle, invented by Slavoljub Penkala in 1903, as it helps ease my aches and pains. They're also super cosy to put in the bed in winter 😊

Is there an invention that has particularly made your life easier?

Comments

  • Biblioklept
    Biblioklept Community member Posts: 5,160 Championing

    Electric toothbrush, which I believe was originally invented as a disability aid! I'm farrrr more motivated to brush my teeth and feel much cleaner when I use an electric brush ❤️

  • egister
    egister Posts: 226 Empowering

    2wd e-scooter!

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator

    @Biblioklept I had to look this up and yeah you're right! It was for people with limited motor skills https://www.stlawrencedentistry.com/blog/dental-technology/the-early-history-of-electric-toothbrushes/#:~:text=Tomlinson%20Moseley%20first%20produced%20the,P.G%20Woog%20developed%20the%20Broxodent. The first one was invented in 1938 which is much earlier than I expected. I found this old advert, not sure when it's from, but the brush looks tiny!

    @egister I've seen people zipping along on those, they seem to go very fast! I'd be scared 😂

  • egister
    egister Posts: 226 Empowering

    If a some scooter driver behaves like a bully, it is not the scooter's fault. Terrorists used Casio watches to detonate bombs - is Casio to blame?
    For me, the e-scooter is an excellent alternative to the mobility scotter; I can transport it in my car myself. I can walk inside buildings and use the e-scooter instead of a cane. Long life Dean L. Kamen!

  • Nikkita
    Nikkita Community member Posts: 37 Connected

    I too agree that the electric toothbrush is a marvellous invention. When I was in the depths of depression, cleaning my teeth didn't enter my head. Even washing my hands was a chore. So I let my teeth get bad. I pulled out 2 teeth with my husband's pliers which gave me a raging infection. I had antibiotics and was told that I had loosened another tooth with my efforts. I had to pay privately to have all 17 remaining teeth removed. I had temporary dentures made for me, they didn't fit, but it was when everyone wore a Covid mask so it really didn't matter. Later I had my permanent dentures made.

    These have to be the best invention in my opinion. I can eat salted peanuts!! again. yay!

    I can name more, disposable nappies, hover mowers, soft toilet paper. Oh and lipfinity by Max Factor.

    Who can name more?

    Nikkita.😁

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator

    I think you've misunderstood. I meant the scooters are fast and I wouldn't trust myself on one, mainly due to lack of balance! Nothing against the riders.

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,331 Championing

    The printing press, as I'm a bookworm!

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator

    Ooh yes a great one @chiarieds! What genre of books do you read?

    Imagine the world if that hadn't been invented. I'm obsessed with machines so I've had a quick google and found this interesting article about them https://www.history.com/news/printing-press-renaissance

    This discussion is helping me learn so much but I'm having to bookmark the websites for later so I can get on with work 🤣

    This is Gutenberg's first printing press from circa 1440. Amazing invention.

  • egister
    egister Posts: 226 Empowering

    LED

    Electroluminescence as a phenomenon was discovered in 1907 by the English experimenter H. J. Round of Marconi Labs, using a crystal of silicon carbide and a cat's-whisker detector.

    [9][10]

     Russian inventor Oleg Losev reported the creation of the first LED in 1927.

    [11]

     His research was distributed in Soviet, German and British scientific journals, but no practical use was made of the discovery for several decades, partly due to the very inefficient light-producing properties of silicon carbide, the semiconductor Losev used.

    [12][13]

  • egister
    egister Posts: 226 Empowering

    I dream of flying like Vladimir Harkonnen!

  • Cantilip
    Cantilip Community member Posts: 607 Empowering

    Think there are two categories, generally and as a disabled person. As a disabled person it has to be the washing-machine. I have a leak problem resultant partly from not being able to stand with any speed and partly from sleeping very deeply. If I could not sling the offending bedding into the washing machine and spin it, if I were left to need someone's help to get soaking and still possibly not sterile bedding out of the bath, if it were impossible to spin and one thing at a time could be hung over bath, which would then take for ever to dry in my flat with no outside access, my life would take a considerable downturn.

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,331 Championing

    I enjoy reading crime fiction & non-fiction (Spanish Civil War, French & Russian Revolutions, psychology & medical interest, biographies) & poetry @Rachel_Scope What do you (I hope) enjoy reading?

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator

    @Cantilip I completely agree the washing machine is an essential. I struggle with chronic pain but I find it easy to use our washing machine. The ironing, well, that's a job for the husband 😁

    I've gone down a little rabbit hole again and found this advert from 1920 for the Thor-32 washing machine from the Hurley Machine Company. Interesting that we still use a drum system today! Wish washing machines today had such cool names 😂

    @chiarieds I'm not very good at sticking with a book. The last one I read was 1984 which I really enjoyed. I do like non-fiction as I love learning, maybe I should try and get back into it. I'm not great at relaxing!

  • Cantilip
    Cantilip Community member Posts: 607 Empowering

    @Rachel_Scope What is ironing?

    You can tell I don't get out a lot.

    I think even before printing writing, invented by the Sumerians, making it so much easier to transmit words, stories, ideas, poems and songs.

    The earliest uses of writing were to document agricultural transactions and contracts in ancient Sumer, but it was soon used in the areas of finance, religion, government, and law. Writing allowed the spread of these social modalities and their associated knowledge, and ultimately the further centralization of political power

    History of writing - Wikipedia

    Uh, yes, we may note that last bit. Any kind of government we recognize today would of course be impossible without writing.

    The Great Library of Alexandria is estimated to have been built between about 285 and 246 BC.

    Library of Alexandria - Wikipedia

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 975 Online Community Coordinator

    @CantilipHaha, you'd think it was a dirty word considering my husband's reaction whenever I mention it!

    Another rabbit hole for me to go down! I'll definitely be reading about the Library of Alexandria, it sounds fascinating. I wish someone could invent a time machine. I'd love to go back and see things like this.

  • egister
    egister Posts: 226 Empowering

    There is no electrical safety, as the name suggests ☺️