Inventions

The telegraph was a groundbreaking invention that transformed communication in the 19th century. Explore its impact on news media and global connectivity.

By Yara Simón

The water frame was a revolutionary textile machine that mechanized spinning, transforming the cotton industry and driving industrialization.

By Desiree Bowie

Steamships quickly replaced sails in the early 1800s. Learn more about the origins of steamships and the innovations that led to their creation.

By Yara Simón

James Watt's steam engine propelled the world forward. Learn about the Watt steam engine's impact and the innovations that helped make it possible.

By Yara Simón

Not every wonderful invention was created intentionally. Some of the products we cherish most were born because of clumsiness or lazy tendencies. While others were discovered by watching how others interact with things differently than we do. For researchers who spend months, or even years experimenting, this spontaneous discovery can be thrilling. While not every […] The post 15 Of The Coolest Accidental Inventions appeared first on Goliath.

By Rachel Despres

As the result of a happy accident, scientists have created a sustainable paint that's lighter, longer-lasting and more cooling than traditional paint.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

You're sure you have it in you to think of an invention, but you're not sure how to do it. Get some tips here on how to think of an invention.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The Hybrid Sports Bike, still in its prototype stage, is a three-in-one: a pedal-powered bicycle souped-up with both a gas engine and an electric motor. But how could a gas-powered bike be environmentally friendly?

By Julia Layton

The heyday for Morse code is primarily over, but this communication method using dots and dashes still has its place in our digital world.

By Mark Mancini

Five metallic balls on slender threads sit side by side. As one on the end hits the rest, the one on the opposite end rises and falls. Why don't the balls in the middle move? It's complicated.

By Chris Schulz

Smartphones, tablets and other devices are not just useful; they can improve your social life. We'll look at some of the newest ways to integrate social media into whatever you're doing.

By Dave Roos

People have been making (and drinking) wine for 8,000 years -- which means lots of innovations both now and in the past, from creating Champagne to quirky wine labels.

By Becky Striepe

Despite all the Slinkies, Band-Aids and BIC pens out there, many patented inventions that push the boundaries of innovation will likely never see widespread use, like this car that's grown organically and emits pure oxygen.

By William Harris & Patrick J. Kiger

This person of diverse interests also invented the cowcatcher device for trains and held a distinguished mathematics professorship at the University of Cambridge.

By William Harris & Chris Pollette

It seems like virtually everyone has a cell phone. In fact, you probably have one in your pocket right now. Many had the idea for the device, but only one could successfully introduce the gadget. Who was it?

By Jonathan Strickland

Many inventions during the Industrial Revolution caused Europeans and Americans to move from an agricultural economy to an industrial one and changed the world forever. What were the top 10?

By Jonathan Atteberry, Melanie Radzicki McManus & Nicole Antonio

Though the 1980s might remind you of the days of MTV and leg warmers, there was a lot going on in technology. In fact, quite a few of the technologies we rely on today were making their debut.

By Jonathan Strickland & Wesley Fenlon

Google's headquarters is located in Mountain View, Calif., but it might as well be Mount Olympus given the company's wild success. Who is the man or woman behind the mountain?

By Tom Harris

Many people consider Guglielmo Marconi the inventor of the radio. After all, he did get the Nobel Prize for it. But others credit Nikola Tesla because the Supreme Court upheld his patent for the invention of radio. So who should get the recognition?

By Josh Briggs

Inventing a useful product or process is serious business - turn a great idea into a marketable widget, and you could earn millions of dollars. But that doesn't mean your widget has to be straitlaced and conservative.

By William Harris, Marianne Spoon & Sascha Bos

There may be no greater tribute to a society's ingenuity and vision than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. What other cool stuff did the ancient Egyptians invent?

By Jonathan Atteberry & Patrick J. Kiger

The first gun was created more than 1,000 years ago, effectively changing warfare - and society - in incomprehensible ways. But do we know who actually made the first firearm?

By Jeff Harder & Sharise Cunningham

When asked to name a Black American inventor, many people might think of George Washington Carver and peanut butter. But this is actually a myth. There are hundreds of other unsung Black inventors who have shaped the world with their innovations.

By Molly Edmonds & Desiree Bowie

By the end of the 20th century, female inventors held 10 percent of all patents, a disparity indicating the hurdles women faced in receiving credit for their ideas. The inventors on this list overcame those obstacles.

By Molly Edmonds

We've all seen TV ads for products that were just completely silly, but then became overnight sensations. Which ones made our list?

By Jonathan Strickland