20th century inventions were hugely influenced by major developments in technology and resources, enabling the inventions of key items and devices which changed the way we live today.
1900 – 1910 inventions
1901 : Vacuum cleaner
1902 : Air conditioning; automated tea maker
1903 : Electrocardiogram; first powered flight
1904 : Radar; tea bags; diodes
1905 : Plastic; windscreen wipers; silencer for guns
1906 : Radio broadcasting
1907 : Electric washing machine
1908 : Coffee filter; water coolers; paper cups; assembly line production; the model T – first affordable motor car
1910 : Neon lamps
1911 – 1920 inventions
1911 : Stenotype machines
1913 : Ecstasy; Brillo pads; crossword puzzles; bras; zips
1916 : Sonar
1920 : Hair dryers; kiss-proof lipstick; submachine guns
1921 – 1930 inventions
1921 : Robots; insulin
1922 : Aga cooker
1923 : Hearing aids
1924 : Frozen food
1925 : Geiger counter; television
1926 : Liquid fuel rocket; pop-up toaster; aerosol sprays
1927 : ‘Talkies’ at the movies
1928 : Iron lung; penicillin
1929 : Artificial life
1930 : Jet engine; mechanical toothbrushes; Scotch tape
1931 – 1940 inventions
1931 : Electric razor
1932 : Radio telescope; parking meter; folding wheelchair
1933 : Electron microscope; angle-poise lamp
1934 : Cats eyes
1935 : Electric guitar
1936 : Sun tan lotion; electric blanket
1938 : Ballpoint pen; photocopying
1939 : Helicopters; cloud seeding to trigger rain
1941 – 1950 inventions
1942 : First nuclear reactor built; napalm
1943 : Aqualung
1944 : Kidney dialysis machine
1945: Nuclear Bomb
1946 : Microwave ovens; automation; bikini; tupperware; tupperware Parties
1947 : Transistors; holograms; artificial intelligence; disposable nappy; mobile phones
1948 : Frisbees; velcro; general purpose computers; contact lenses
1950 : credit cards; self-cleaning house; junction transistor
1951 -1960 inventions
1951 : Contraceptive pill; tetrapak cartons of milk
1952 : Wide-screen cinema
1953 : Transistor radio
1954 : Solar cell; synthesiser
1955 : Hovercraft; atomic clock; polio vaccine; structurally modified antibiotics
1956 : Video tape recorder
1957 : Satellite; endoscope
1958 : Video games; microchip; modems
1959 : Car seat belts
1960 : Cardiac pacemaker; laser
1961 – 1970 inventions
1961 : Man in Space; Valium
1963 : Lava lamp
1964 : Computer mouse; miniskirt
1965 : Optical disc; bay buggy; HTML
1966 : Kevlar; fibre optics; pocket television
1967 : Portable calculator
1968 : Biometrics; Workmate; artificial heart
1969 : Internet; cash dispenser
1970 : LED and LCD’s
1971 – 1980 inventions
1971 : Floppy disc
1972 : Prozac; disposable lighter
1973 : Genetic engineering; barcodes; post-it-note; car airbags; cellular phones
1975 : Personal computer; laser printer
1976 : Apple 1
1977 : In vitro fertilisation; MRI scanner; inkjet printer
1979 : First personal stereo
1980 : Abortion pill; Hepatitis B vaccine
1981 – 1990 inventions
1981 : Scanning tunneling microscope; Space shuttle
1984 : Macintosh computer
1986 : High temperature superconductor
1987 : Disposable contact lenses
1989 : World Wide Web; Macintosh Portable
1990: Hubble Telescope