they’re the best things to come into
existence since sliced bread
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
inventions of the 20th century in August
1908 James Spangler sold his invention
to a relative William Hoover and we’ve
been hoovering our floors ever since for
this list we’re looking at all the
greatest and most practical innovations
that came into existence throughout the
1900s and have chosen our entries based
on their overall impact on Commerce and
the public number 10 the microwave oven
a common household appliance found in
virtually every kitchen break room and
office this is perhaps one of the more
accessible but underappreciated
inventions on our list
most microwave ovens have a motorized
turntable which rotates the food through
the radio waves in order to cook the
food evenly first made available
commercially in 1947 this is one of the
early 20th century creations that had a
concept and look ripped straight out of
a science fiction story
far more than a clock that occasionally
cooks things the microwave was actually
born from radar technology in the case
of microwave ovens the most common wave
frequency is roughly two thousand four
hundred and fifty megahertz were it not
for this thermal wonder of convenience
reheating our coffee and lunch leftovers
would be a hassle and popcorn would be a
rarity from old family recipe new family
recipe still waiting on that food
hydrator though hydrate level four
please number nine satellite debuting in
1957 with the Soviet Union’s launch of
Sputnik 1 this is the invention that
brought forth life to many of the other
inventions on this list after North
America just lost their Facebook
arguably an underrated achievement this
is the star bound handiwork responsible
for most of the world’s communication
navigation and research capabilities
leading to other breakthrough orbital
inventions such as Space Station’s this
was truly the first small step for
humankind to leap into the final
frontier so if any person had the most
ideas at the earliest time about the
modern applications of satellites Arthur
Clarke was the one with approximately
1,000 in operation satellites continued
to play a vital role in our everyday
lives doing everything from keeping our
precious internet and cellular devices
operational to notifying us of traffic
jams number eight nuclear power
nuclear power it’s the job of tomorrow
today while some of us remain cynical
about the benefits or negative
consequences of this invention there is
no denying that nuclear power is an
important and crucial innovation of our
time more than half of all the nuclear
reactors in the world were built between
1970 and 1985 but which type of reactor
to build given how many different types
there were to choose from providing
electricity to just a little over 10
percent of the world’s population
nuclear power isn’t exactly the world’s
favorite power source even as an
alternative to fossil fuels so what
happened why did we think nuclear power
was going to be the chosen one energy
wise and how did this amazing scientific
breakthrough go down the dark path
nevertheless with its capacity to create
massive amounts of energy with little to
no carbon emissions or dependence on
environmental conditions it is generally
seen as the ideal candidate for our
ever-growing electricity demands now if
operational this small space would be
packed with over a hundred of these each
giving out vast amounts of energy in the
form of heat number seven the vacuum
cleaner this thing can pick up anything
here’s a little demonstration I’ll pour
some wine rub in some feces and to top
it off some mustard mixed with feces
tough stain right oh crap I forgot the
vacuum although they’ve technically been
around since the 1860s in manual hand
pump form we’re talking about the modern
motorized cleaners invented by Hubert
Cecil booth in 1901 and he’s very first
experiment holding a hankie over a sofa
and sucking hard through left the hankie
filthy introduced for domestic use four
years after it was perfected vacuum
cleaners hit the market as luxury items
and did not become common among
middle-class households until after the
Second World War
without vacuum cleaners the only way to
clean carpets and upholstery was to take
them outside and beat them with hundreds
of variations designed for all forms of
surfaces in existence today
it’s truly befuddling that brooms and
dustpans are not yet obsolete
enhanced swivel steering glides
effortlessly around behind and under
furniture number six the airplane is
there anyone on board who can land this
plane at one point in history the idea
of a person flying was nothing but a
work of fiction but for those who dared
to dream the sky truly was the limit
without something standing still behind
the planes we’ve got no idea of how fast
we’re moving
we got no sense of relative motion such
was the case with the Wright brothers
who invented and flew the first
successful heavier-than-air powered
aircraft in 1903 they started with a
small box kite on ropes and worked up to
a full-scale glider big enough to carry
a man since then the skies have been
taken by force with these technological
marvels utilized for both good and
not-so-good reasons
nevertheless there’s no question that
these artificial birds have done us more
benefit than harm continuing to broaden
the horizons for travel communication
and commerce with their continued
evolution
number five the mobile cell phones
that’s a big ass fall put that up to
your head first demonstrated by Motorola
in 1973 these handheld communicators
have come a long way since their
original antenna on a brick design you
have a portable handheld phone at one
point simply a flashy gadget to own and
show off regardless of the brand cell
phones have since become a dime a dozen
gizmo found in the pockets of basically
anyone earth to Matilda this phone is as
much a part of me as you know what can
we just cut it out with all the earth
twos please
reaching a new peak with smartphones
mobiles have essentially evolved into
all-in-one tech tools with most
consumers using them for games taking
photographs filming maps web browsing
essentially everything except actually
making a phone call number for the
computer
ever evolving since the 1930s these
algorithm juggling WonderWorks
are without question some of the more
complex creations on this list if not
throughout all of history becoming
increasingly accessible with each
generation the modern personal computer
has made the lives of so many users of
all tastes and needs a lot more fun and
or convenient computer load up celery
man please yes it’s perhaps the most
important technology on our planet today
as it plays a part in virtually every
other technological marvel or industry
in existence whether it’s filmmaking
amusement park rides or a mom-and-pop
style operation computers personal or
otherwise are guaranteed to be in the
mix with this tool for modern times a
person can quickly master such jobs as
accounting or word processing number
three penicillin might it be that this
mold like the human body produced a
substance capable of destroying germs
derived from the fungus of the same name
penicillin was among the first group of
antibiotics discovered to have an
effective use in combating malignant
microbes so what it is it’s a really
interesting natural product I mean it’s
beautiful in its construction you think
about some really interesting features
got this square ring here though its
roots date back to the late 1890s and
the findings of French physician al Ness
Duchene penicillin development for
medical use and mass production would
not be built upon and perfected until
the 1930s penicillin became a medicine
the world changed forever though
numerous bacteria have since developed
immunities penicillin and it’s enhanced
derivatives are still used to treat a
wide range of infections and conditions
hence its continued presence in
virtually every pharmacy hospital and
household now Florida could try
penicillin on human beings the results
prove the healing power of penicillin
number two the television
here it is the original tube that
skyrocketed pop culture and mass media
to a whole new level reducing the radio
to road trip
background noise becoming a commonplace
commodity since the mid 20th century
this is the invention that paved the way
for other home entertainment innovations
including VHS DVD blu-ray cable and even
streaming services such as Netflix
you’re ready for it we’re ready with it
today it’s estimated that 79 percent of
the world’s households own at least one
set
thus it continues to be the primary
medium for influencing public opinion as
well as a potent force for the visual
and dramatic arts thanks to the
relentless determination of John Logie
Baird the world now has television the
global village is born before we unveil
our favorite 20th century brainchild
here are some honorable mentions
check the best route change the language
any last words what wow they go what are
you doing the video I’m documenting the
night so that you can take it at Japan
with you oh can i watch it every night
Jason yeah you could number one
the Internet let’s start with web pages
so first you need to know that
everything on the Internet has an
address and all web addresses start with
HTTP colon double backslash earning the
top spot on this list easily this is the
quintessential invention that ushered in
the Information Age just a fun shot my
daughter she told me that she and her
friends were already talking about the
races they’ve just seen by their
computers new website called Facebook
garnering initial fame from the burst of
the dot-com bubble the world wide web
has since bloomed into a cyber utopia
meeting virtually all the needs of any
and all kinds of users whether it’s
entertainment shopping communication or
research the Internet can cater to all
of the above and so much more with its
near infinite number of sites and
possibilities by using a computer mouse
to click on a word or phrase linked
across the Internet
one could instantaneously follow a link
from site to site around the web in
pursuit of a topic firmly entrenched in
our daily lives a day without the web
can feel like a trip to the dark ages
the internet went down for three hours
this morning plunging the nation into
productivity do you agree with our list
you’re distressing everything about you
obsessed
which 20th century inventions would you
go nuts without lose our cool then we’re
no better than the Machine for more
innovative top 10s published every day
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
existence since sliced bread
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
inventions of the 20th century in August
1908 James Spangler sold his invention
to a relative William Hoover and we’ve
been hoovering our floors ever since for
this list we’re looking at all the
greatest and most practical innovations
that came into existence throughout the
1900s and have chosen our entries based
on their overall impact on Commerce and
the public number 10 the microwave oven
a common household appliance found in
virtually every kitchen break room and
office this is perhaps one of the more
accessible but underappreciated
inventions on our list
most microwave ovens have a motorized
turntable which rotates the food through
the radio waves in order to cook the
food evenly first made available
commercially in 1947 this is one of the
early 20th century creations that had a
concept and look ripped straight out of
a science fiction story
far more than a clock that occasionally
cooks things the microwave was actually
born from radar technology in the case
of microwave ovens the most common wave
frequency is roughly two thousand four
hundred and fifty megahertz were it not
for this thermal wonder of convenience
reheating our coffee and lunch leftovers
would be a hassle and popcorn would be a
rarity from old family recipe new family
recipe still waiting on that food
hydrator though hydrate level four
please number nine satellite debuting in
1957 with the Soviet Union’s launch of
Sputnik 1 this is the invention that
brought forth life to many of the other
inventions on this list after North
America just lost their Facebook
arguably an underrated achievement this
is the star bound handiwork responsible
for most of the world’s communication
navigation and research capabilities
leading to other breakthrough orbital
inventions such as Space Station’s this
was truly the first small step for
humankind to leap into the final
frontier so if any person had the most
ideas at the earliest time about the
modern applications of satellites Arthur
Clarke was the one with approximately
1,000 in operation satellites continued
to play a vital role in our everyday
lives doing everything from keeping our
precious internet and cellular devices
operational to notifying us of traffic
jams number eight nuclear power
nuclear power it’s the job of tomorrow
today while some of us remain cynical
about the benefits or negative
consequences of this invention there is
no denying that nuclear power is an
important and crucial innovation of our
time more than half of all the nuclear
reactors in the world were built between
1970 and 1985 but which type of reactor
to build given how many different types
there were to choose from providing
electricity to just a little over 10
percent of the world’s population
nuclear power isn’t exactly the world’s
favorite power source even as an
alternative to fossil fuels so what
happened why did we think nuclear power
was going to be the chosen one energy
wise and how did this amazing scientific
breakthrough go down the dark path
nevertheless with its capacity to create
massive amounts of energy with little to
no carbon emissions or dependence on
environmental conditions it is generally
seen as the ideal candidate for our
ever-growing electricity demands now if
operational this small space would be
packed with over a hundred of these each
giving out vast amounts of energy in the
form of heat number seven the vacuum
cleaner this thing can pick up anything
here’s a little demonstration I’ll pour
some wine rub in some feces and to top
it off some mustard mixed with feces
tough stain right oh crap I forgot the
vacuum although they’ve technically been
around since the 1860s in manual hand
pump form we’re talking about the modern
motorized cleaners invented by Hubert
Cecil booth in 1901 and he’s very first
experiment holding a hankie over a sofa
and sucking hard through left the hankie
filthy introduced for domestic use four
years after it was perfected vacuum
cleaners hit the market as luxury items
and did not become common among
middle-class households until after the
Second World War
without vacuum cleaners the only way to
clean carpets and upholstery was to take
them outside and beat them with hundreds
of variations designed for all forms of
surfaces in existence today
it’s truly befuddling that brooms and
dustpans are not yet obsolete
enhanced swivel steering glides
effortlessly around behind and under
furniture number six the airplane is
there anyone on board who can land this
plane at one point in history the idea
of a person flying was nothing but a
work of fiction but for those who dared
to dream the sky truly was the limit
without something standing still behind
the planes we’ve got no idea of how fast
we’re moving
we got no sense of relative motion such
was the case with the Wright brothers
who invented and flew the first
successful heavier-than-air powered
aircraft in 1903 they started with a
small box kite on ropes and worked up to
a full-scale glider big enough to carry
a man since then the skies have been
taken by force with these technological
marvels utilized for both good and
not-so-good reasons
nevertheless there’s no question that
these artificial birds have done us more
benefit than harm continuing to broaden
the horizons for travel communication
and commerce with their continued
evolution
number five the mobile cell phones
that’s a big ass fall put that up to
your head first demonstrated by Motorola
in 1973 these handheld communicators
have come a long way since their
original antenna on a brick design you
have a portable handheld phone at one
point simply a flashy gadget to own and
show off regardless of the brand cell
phones have since become a dime a dozen
gizmo found in the pockets of basically
anyone earth to Matilda this phone is as
much a part of me as you know what can
we just cut it out with all the earth
twos please
reaching a new peak with smartphones
mobiles have essentially evolved into
all-in-one tech tools with most
consumers using them for games taking
photographs filming maps web browsing
essentially everything except actually
making a phone call number for the
computer
ever evolving since the 1930s these
algorithm juggling WonderWorks
are without question some of the more
complex creations on this list if not
throughout all of history becoming
increasingly accessible with each
generation the modern personal computer
has made the lives of so many users of
all tastes and needs a lot more fun and
or convenient computer load up celery
man please yes it’s perhaps the most
important technology on our planet today
as it plays a part in virtually every
other technological marvel or industry
in existence whether it’s filmmaking
amusement park rides or a mom-and-pop
style operation computers personal or
otherwise are guaranteed to be in the
mix with this tool for modern times a
person can quickly master such jobs as
accounting or word processing number
three penicillin might it be that this
mold like the human body produced a
substance capable of destroying germs
derived from the fungus of the same name
penicillin was among the first group of
antibiotics discovered to have an
effective use in combating malignant
microbes so what it is it’s a really
interesting natural product I mean it’s
beautiful in its construction you think
about some really interesting features
got this square ring here though its
roots date back to the late 1890s and
the findings of French physician al Ness
Duchene penicillin development for
medical use and mass production would
not be built upon and perfected until
the 1930s penicillin became a medicine
the world changed forever though
numerous bacteria have since developed
immunities penicillin and it’s enhanced
derivatives are still used to treat a
wide range of infections and conditions
hence its continued presence in
virtually every pharmacy hospital and
household now Florida could try
penicillin on human beings the results
prove the healing power of penicillin
number two the television
here it is the original tube that
skyrocketed pop culture and mass media
to a whole new level reducing the radio
to road trip
background noise becoming a commonplace
commodity since the mid 20th century
this is the invention that paved the way
for other home entertainment innovations
including VHS DVD blu-ray cable and even
streaming services such as Netflix
you’re ready for it we’re ready with it
today it’s estimated that 79 percent of
the world’s households own at least one
set
thus it continues to be the primary
medium for influencing public opinion as
well as a potent force for the visual
and dramatic arts thanks to the
relentless determination of John Logie
Baird the world now has television the
global village is born before we unveil
our favorite 20th century brainchild
here are some honorable mentions
check the best route change the language
any last words what wow they go what are
you doing the video I’m documenting the
night so that you can take it at Japan
with you oh can i watch it every night
Jason yeah you could number one
the Internet let’s start with web pages
so first you need to know that
everything on the Internet has an
address and all web addresses start with
HTTP colon double backslash earning the
top spot on this list easily this is the
quintessential invention that ushered in
the Information Age just a fun shot my
daughter she told me that she and her
friends were already talking about the
races they’ve just seen by their
computers new website called Facebook
garnering initial fame from the burst of
the dot-com bubble the world wide web
has since bloomed into a cyber utopia
meeting virtually all the needs of any
and all kinds of users whether it’s
entertainment shopping communication or
research the Internet can cater to all
of the above and so much more with its
near infinite number of sites and
possibilities by using a computer mouse
to click on a word or phrase linked
across the Internet
one could instantaneously follow a link
from site to site around the web in
pursuit of a topic firmly entrenched in
our daily lives a day without the web
can feel like a trip to the dark ages
the internet went down for three hours
this morning plunging the nation into
productivity do you agree with our list
you’re distressing everything about you
obsessed
which 20th century inventions would you
go nuts without lose our cool then we’re
no better than the Machine for more
innovative top 10s published every day
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
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