Many inventors have shaped our world in ways we often take for granted.
Their creations, now part of everyday life, were once groundbreaking ideas that faced skepticism or went unnoticed.
Let’s shine a light on some of these overlooked innovators and their impactful inventions.
Peter Cooper: The Sticky Stuff Pioneer
Glue is everywhere, but who invented it?
Peter Cooper patented fish glue, one of the first modern adhesives.
While ancient civilizations used natural sticky substances, Cooper’s work paved the way for today’s synthetic glues.
It’s easy to forget the minds behind such common items.
Play-Doh: A Happy Accident
Noah and Joseph McVicker stumbled upon Play-Doh while trying to make wallpaper cleaner.
This colorful modeling clay has been a childhood staple since 1956.
Initially sold in off-white, it soon burst into a rainbow of hues.
The fuzzy pumper barber shop set became an iconic toy, showing how a simple idea can leave a lasting mark.
Zipping Through Fashion History
The humble zipper, invented by Gideon Sundback in 1917, wasn’t an instant hit.
First called the “continuous clothing closure,” it was seen as too clunky for clothes.
It found its footing in boots and tobacco pouches before B.F. Goodrich’s marketing team gave it the catchy name “zipper.”
Now it’s hard to imagine life without this handy fastener.
Can Openers: A Cut Above
William Lyman’s 1870 rotating wheel can opener was a game-changer.
Before his invention, people struggled with knife-like openers.
Lyman’s design made opening cans much easier, though it still needed some tweaks.
Sadly, he didn’t live to see his creation become a kitchen essential.
Cotton Planting Revolution
Henry Blair, one of the first Black inventors to receive a U.S. patent, created an automatic cotton planter.
His machine tilled soil and planted seeds efficiently.
Blair’s work is especially notable given the barriers he faced as a Black inventor in the 19th century.
Walter Hunt: Jack of All Inventions
Walter Hunt was a prolific inventor whose creations touch many aspects of our lives:
- Safety pin
- Lockstitch sewing machine
- Streetcar bell
- Ice plow
Despite the widespread use of his inventions, Hunt never received major recognition during his lifetime.
Sticky Situation: The Birth of Velcro
George de Mestral’s Velcro was initially dismissed as unattractive and impractical.
Inspired by burrs sticking to his dog’s fur, de Mestral created this hook-and-loop fastener.
It took years for Velcro to catch on, but now it’s used in countless products.
De Mestral’s persistence paid off, though recognition came mostly after his death.
Philo Farnsworth: Bringing TV to Life
Philo Farnsworth’s electronic television system, the “image dissector,” laid the groundwork for modern TV.
He also contributed to nuclear fusion research with the Farnsworth-Hirsch fusor.
Despite holding 165 patents, Farnsworth’s Eagle Scout award wasn’t presented until decades after his death.
Keeping the Beat: The Metronome’s True Inventor
Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel created the first accurate metronome in 1814.
He called it the “musical chronometer.”
Sadly, Johann Nepomuk Mälzel patented a similar device just two years later, overshadowing Winkel’s original invention.
Many still wrongly credit Mälzel as the metronome’s inventor.
William Austin Burt: Typing Up History
William Austin Burt patented America’s first typewriter and invented the solar compass for surveying.
His typewriter was ahead of its time, and it was his great-grandson who later created a more well-known version.
