We live in a time of rapid technological innovation. In the last 50 years alone, people have invented ATMs, cell phones, birth control pills, as well as bar codes and scanners. Today, it would be hard to imagine a world without these things. Every good invention has the ability to change the world.

Even though every generation has its own notable inventions, only a small number of these will ultimately stand the test of time and transform life on Earth. From the x-ray machine to the compass, here are 40 inventions that completely changed life as we knew it in the past.

Wheel - 3150 B.C.

Without the invention of the wheel, there would be no airplanes, cars, or motorcycles. It is often noted that the wheel is arguably mankind's most important invention, considering how it had a huge influence on civilizations across the globe. Although it's hard to say for certain when it was invented, the oldest discovered wheel, found in Slovenia, was made at approximately 3,150 B.C.

It goes without saying that this invention had an enormous impact on the automotive industry, and transport in general. The wheel went through some major changes since it was originally created. These improvements on the initial model ultimately paved the way for the advent of industrialization.

Compass - 2nd Century B.C.

The compass is an instrument that allowed countless explorers to reach uncharted territories. The exact year, or even century, when the compass was discovered is unknown. However, it is known that it was made during the Han dynasty in China. The very first compasses were made of a naturally magnetized stone of iron known as lodestone.

Lodestone was first used in the construction of fortune-telling boards before people noticed it could point out directions thanks to its magnetic properties. The modern magnetic compass was created after the invention of the electromagnet in 1825.

Automobile - 1886

Nowadays, most people can afford to buy a car. Nevertheless, cars weren't that available when they were first invented. It is generally accepted that the "birth" year of the modern car is 1886 when inventor Karl Benz developed the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Mass production allowed for vehicles to be produced in high numbers during the early 20th century.

Once they were available to more people, cars had a huge impact on the daily lives of people. On top of that, oil and steel became extremely well-established industries thanks to the automotive industry.

Steam Engine - 1698

Steam power played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution. The person who managed to patent the first steam engine was Thomas Savery, an English engineer, and inventor. The problem with Savery’s invention was that it was prone to boiler explosions.

It wasn’t until 1778 that the steam engine was perfected by Scotsman James Watt, who made a number of notable improvements to the original steam engine. Thanks to the harnessing of steam power, people were able to eventually develop things like combustion engines, which changed the transportation industry forever. Now it looks like electric motors will take over the place of combustion engines in the car industry.

Concrete - 6500 B.C.

Archeologists have found evidence that Nabataea traders in regions of Jordan and Syria used concrete for housing structures around 6,500 B.C. This material was also used in the construction of the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramid of Giza. It goes without saying that concrete is currently one of the most used construction materials.

Concrete is comprised of an aggregate, usually a rocky material like sand, gravel, or rock, water, and cement. If you build a new home using this durable material, it’ll be able to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Petroleum - 600 B.C.

The Chinese were the first people who discovered oil, roughly around 600 B.C. They were also the first ones to use petrol as fuel in the 4th century B.C. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until 1859 that the oil industry began rapidly growing in the United States, following the Pennsylvania oil rush.

What’s interesting is that the first commercially successful internal combustion engine was developed the very same year the Pennsylvania oil rush took place. With the invention of the internal combustion engine, the need for petroleum skyrocketed, which is how this became one of the world’s biggest industries.

Railways - 1825

Just like steam power, rail transport represents one of the most notable components of the Industrial Revolution. The first steam locomotive that carried passengers on a public rail line was developed by George Stephenson in 1825. This brilliant engineer is also responsible for building the world’s first public inter-city railway line.

George’s son, Robert, designed the most advanced locomotive of its day in 1829. Most steam locomotives made in the next 150 years used a template very similar to this locomotive, named Rocket. In 1879, Werner von Siemens developed the first electric railway in the world.

Airplane - 1903

Before airlines made it easy for people to travel around the world, the entire fate of aviation rested on two brothers. Although Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci came up with an idea for a flying machine back in the 15th century, he never had a chance to see people take flight. After all, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the Wright brothers flew the first airplane.

The Wright brothers flew for only 12 seconds on December 17, 1903. However, that accomplishment was enough to completely change the world. As technology advanced, inventors improved the design of airplanes and eventually developed jets, which have both commercial and military uses.

Fire - 1.4 Million Years Ago

Control of fire was an incredibly important discovery made by early humans more than a million years ago. The earliest evidence of fire ever found was at the Chesowanja, Kenya. It is generally believed that our ancestor, Homo erectus, started using fire to their advantage during the Early Stone Age.

This development completely changed the way early humans lived. Fire represented a source of warmth and allowed them to survive in colder environments. Of course, it also changed the way early humans consumed food, which lead to increased calorie intake and improved nutrition.

Nail - 3400 B.C.

Nails have a very rich history. Although we don't really know when they were first invented, it was surely after humans discovered how to cast and shape metals. It's hard to figure out when and where they were first made. The oldest nails ever found were made out of bronze and from around 3,400 B.C. They were discovered in Egypt.

While nails are now usually made of steel, they were at first made either of wrought iron or bronze. There are currently more than 2,200 varieties of nails that are being manufactured today and we can't imagine the world without them!

Tools - 2.6 Million Years Ago

Early humans first started making tools more than 2.6 million years ago. They made them by striking a core of hard stone with a hammerstone. Doing this allowed early humans to have tools with sharp edges, which were used to chop wood, skin animals, and butcher carcasses.

Despite not being impressive in the beginning, early humans ultimately managed to become better at making tools. Around 1.65 million years ago, they developed the first hand ax. Apart from improving quality of life, tools stimulated the cognitive area of the brain in early humans and encouraged communication.

Light Bulb - 1840

Many people credit United States inventor Thomas Edison for making the first light bulb in 1879. Nevertheless, British scientist Warren de La Rue chad created a light bulb using a coiled platinum filament back in 1840. The reason why Edison’s name is more known is because he figured out how to make a commercially practical version of this invention.

It’s easy to take things like the light bulb for granted today. However, this discovery completely changed the world by influencing the infrastructure that was built in order to provide electricity to every residence.

Electricity - 600 B.C.

Before coming up with the idea for light bulbs, people first had to discover electricity. The Ancient Greeks were the first ones to discover static electricity, in 600 B.C. A lot of different electricity-related discoveries were made before the 17th century.

People began using electricity in technology after scientist Michael Faraday created a crude power generator known as the electric dynamo. The use of electricity in technology led to a complete reshaping of society and industry, and ultimately became a driving force for the Second Industrial Revolution. Another person who played an important role in making electricity commercially viable was inventor Nikola Tesla.

Battery - 1800

Benjamin Franklin was the first person to come up with the term "battery" to describe an array of linked capacitors he would use for experimenting with electrical currents. Nevertheless, it was the famous Italian physicist Alessandro Volta who actually created the first battery, in 1800.

Unfortunately, his invention couldn’t deliver electrical current for a long time period. In 1836, English physicist John F. Daniell created the Daniell Cell, which remained a popular option in homes for more than a century. This represented the first practical source of electricity. A research team from Japan developed the first lithium-ion battery, which quickly became the most commonly used type of battery. This type of battery is currently being used for everything from electric cars to mobile phones.

Printing Press - 1439

In 1439, Johannes Gutenberg - a goldsmith in Germany - invented the first printing press, which forever changed the way information was spread across the globe. This invention kickstarted what would become a true printing revolution, lasting until the beginning of the 21st century. You see, before the Internet, people relied heavily on newspapers to stay informed.

Despite having invented the printing press, Gutenberg never had the opportunity to see the impact it had on the world. His crown achievement was printing 200 copies of the Bible, which took three years to accomplish. Following the invention of the printing press, literacy levels began increasing in countries across Europe.

Morse Code and Telegraph - 1838

Samuel Morse is often credited as the person who invented the telegraph. However, there were other inventors who came up with telegraph systems decades before Samuel. With that being said, Morse did invent a telegraph system that was really practical.

Apart from coming up with an idea for a practical telegraph system, Samuel Morse also worked on developing a code that people could use when sending messages. This ultimately became known as Morse Code, which consists of dots and dashes. The telegraph had a tremendous impact on long-distance communication.

Steel - 1800 B.C.

The oldest evidence of steel production was found during an excavation of an archaeological site in Anatolia. This evidence shows that people had been using steel even as far back as 1800 B.C. The production of this metal increased rapidly during the 19th century.

In 1856, inventor Henry Bessemer figured out a very effective steel-making process. This became the primary process used for making steel for almost a century before Swiss engineer Robert Durrer developed the basic oxygen steelmaking process. This metal represents one of the world’s most common manmade materials since it can be made easily and inexpensively.

Transistors - 1947

Transistors completely changed the world of electronics, since they allowed engineers to make cheaper and smaller computers, radios, and other devices. Physicist Julius Edgar Lilienfeld was the first person to patent a field-effect transistor. However, he never published any research about this invention.

Because of this, a team of physicists working at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey is credited for inventing the transistor. The team consisted of John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain. Their invention became the most widely manufactured device in the history of mankind, despite the fact that production began just several decades ago.

Contraceptives - 1850 B.C.

There are records that mention the use of contraceptives both in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The earliest documented description comes from the Kahun Papyrus, which dates back to 1850 B.C. Although a lot of different items served as contraceptives throughout history, the discovery of birth control pills in the 1950s is what really started a global revolution.

The use of contraceptives allowed people to plan when they would want to begin and stop having children. It altered how people lived their lives and allowed them to focus on other things, like their careers, before starting a family.

X-rays - 1895

X-rays represent a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. They were discovered by physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen in 1895, who accidentally came across this form of radiation while he was testing if cathode rays were able to pass through glass. While performing tests, he saw a glow coming from a nearby screen.

Wilhelm was not sure what this radiation was, which is why he named the X-rays. He soon started carrying out different experiments and ultimately found out what this discovery could be used for. Just two years after their discovery, X-rays were already being used in the Balkan wars to find bullets in patients.

Refrigerator - 1755

It’s hard to imagine life without being able to store food and medicine in a refrigerator. Along with a few other appliances, it has become one of the most important components of modern life. The first fridge was developed by Scottish professor William Cullen in 1755. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any practical application at the time.

The first person to create a practical refrigeration system was journalist James Harrison. Breweries started requesting fridges soon after. Over time, it became more common for people to have a refrigerator in their homes. They were already considered to be an essential appliance by the 1920s.

Television - 1927

When World War II ended, less than a million Americans had a television set in their home. Half a century later, around 98% of homes in the United States had at least one television set that was on for over seven hours every day.

Philo Farnsworth is considered to be one of the most important people responsible for the development of television. He managed to create the first completely electronic television system back in 1927. Meanwhile, the first color broadcast in the world took place in 1938. By the mid-1970s, nearly all TV stations were broadcasting in color.

Camera - 1816

The first person to come up with an idea for a camera that would be practical for photography was Johann Zahn. He had come up with a design for such a device back in 1685. However, it took another 150 years before technology reached the point where such a camera could be made.

Nicéphore Niépce made a camera and took the first partially successful photograph in 1816. Niépce passed away before photography took off. It was his partner who continued experimenting and eventually came up with a practical photographic process, which he publicly unveiled in 1839.

Antibiotics - 1928

The discovery of antibiotics is regarded as one of the most important things to have happened in the 20th century. Alexander Fleming was the first person to discover an antibiotic back in 1928. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until after World War II that people realized how much this treatment could help any patient suffering from an infection.

Antibiotics helped solve a number of different health problems that were common at the time and saved many lives. Due to the immense importance of antibiotics, Alexander Fleming received a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945.

Computer

Throughout history, there were many different inventions that were used to aid computation. In fact, tools like the abacus have been around since 2400 B.C. However, today we’re going to focus on general-purpose computers. The first one of its kind was designed by English polymath Charles Babbage. Although he first mentioned it in 1837, Babbage was never able to finish the construction of this machine.

Charles was truly ahead of his time since it took more than a century for the first general-purpose computer to be constructed. German civil engineer Konrad Zuse was responsible for designing this machine, known as the Z3.

Email - 1972

Before email, sending a message to a person in another city or country was a time-consuming process. Ray Tomlinson is given credit for the invention of the modern-day emailing system. This system caught up rapidly, and by the late '70s, John Vittal developed email organization software.

In the present, electronic mail (email) is a vital part of the operations of almost every business and individual. The development of this communication system advanced only after the invention of the internet, which you can read about next. Amongst many others, the most popular email service provider today is Gmail.

Internet - Late 1960s

Unlike most inventions, the Internet's inventor was not one particular person. It rose from years of research and development, to which many scientists, programmers, and engineers contributed. In the early 1900s, Nikola Tesla first pitched the idea of a 'world wireless system.’

The first working prototype of the Internet created in the late 1960s later developed to create multiple adjoining networks, which became the modern Internet. With Tim Berners-Lee's invention of the World Wide Web, the Internet advanced to its significance today. The doors of possibilities that the Internet opened to the world are truly infinite.

Banknote - 7th Century

During the early ages of humanity, the barter system was the common method people used to satisfy their needs. Cattle, fruits, vegetables, and grains were the earliest most common forms of barter, which later evolved to the use of precious metals and coins. Paper currency first emerged in China during the Tang dynasty in the 7th century.

The notion of paper money was introduced to Europe through travelers during the 13th century. This concept of banknotes first began in the form of I.O.Us, promising to pay the amount in precious metals. But the convenience of paper became our money today.

Credit Cards - 1950

The concept of credit cards formed in the '20s in America, when certain companies provided them to their consumers for use at their particular outlets. However, this theory evolved until Diners' Club Inc. established the first universal credit card in 1950.

Credit cards are a widely accepted means of payment today, in which the cardholder owns up to and settles the debt of the goods and services purchased using the card. You can obtain credit cards at almost any financial institution today, but be warned and spend within your limits.

Telephone and Mobile Phones - 1876 and 1973

Although Alexandre Graham Bell is the famously known inventor of the telephone, there are precedents to his invention. Antonio Meucci invented a voice transmitting device in 1849, Charles Bourseul came up with the design of the telephone in 1854, and Graham Bell invented the first actual telephone in 1876.

In 1973, Martin Cooper, a researcher at Motorola, introduced the first handheld telephone to accommodate the human desire to communicate while traveling. Mobile phones have come a long way since then, and engineers are still working tirelessly to advance them further. It is almost impossible to imagine life today without these handy inventions.

Films - 1891

Your ability to watch pretty much anything on your television, computer, mobile phone, or any device dates back to 1891. The film, also known as motion pictures, is a series of recorded moving images that convey stories, ideas, feelings, and so on.

Thomas Edison and William Dickson fabricated the kinetoscope, which later advanced as the motion picture projector. It was a device that could be used to visualize the illusion of a moving image, one person at a time. The kinetoscope went through dozens of developments and became the television. These inventions continue to advance and adapt to the changes in technology.

World Wide Web - 1991

We are all forever grateful to Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. During his ongoing work at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, Berners-Lee suggested 'a large hypertext database with typed links.' The vision of Berners-Lee and his associate Robert Cailliau was for the possible uses of the web to be as widespread as possible.

In the latter part of 1990, Berners-Lee had a functioning prototype of the web at CERN. However, only in August 1991, was the World Wide Web launched to the entire world. It became freely accessible and open to further development in 1993.

Gunpowder - 9th Century

Invented in the 9th century in China, gunpowder is the first known chemical explosive. Also known as black powder, the explosive is a combination of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. Although the Taoists created it for its medicinal uses, in 904 AD, it became destructive in combat.

After being the only means of generating explosive energy for almost a millennium, modern weaponry does not use gunpowder due to cost-effective substitutes such as dynamite and ammonium nitrate. The inventors of gunpowder couldn't possibly have imagined the destruction it was going to cause.

Tanks - 1916

A prototype of the first tank, now renamed as Little Willie, was completed and tested in December 1915 in England. Due to its poor performance, after multiple advancements and developments, a second prototype called the Big Willie was built in 1916. The British first used tanks in the combat fields in September 1916.

The British used the term "tank" as a security measure, and it is used in many languages today. Germans only realized the value of tanks after their defeat in World War I. Since their invention, tanks have been used in multiple wars, and are still in use today.

Atomic Bomb - 1945

Both atomic bombs and nuclear bombs are powerful weapons of mass destruction, generally banned from being used in warfare, due to their terrifying power. The destruction arises from fission and fusion reactions. J. Robert Oppenheimer has the title of 'the father of the atomic bomb.’

These destructive inventions, however significant they may be, have killed thousands of people over the years. The radiation in the air after a bomb has detonated is harmful to human life and remains so for many years to come. Therefore, this rising concern led to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which stops the expansive use of nuclear weapons.

Calendar - 1582

Various types of calendars were in use before the modern calendar was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. This Gregorian calendar accounts for leap years, which makes the average year approximately 365.2422 days long.

People in different eras have used a countless number of calendars. While the Sumerian calendar is the earliest known one, there has been the Hebrew calendar, lunisolar calendar, Julian calendar, and so on. Other such registers, like the Islamic calendar and the Hindu calendar, are used by people in different cultures today.

Clock - 14th Century

Imagine having to live with no sense of time - a situation where there's no track of the day and no deadlines. Time is what aids us to plan and manage our days accordingly, and allows us to live productively. Time isn't an invention - the clock is.

Our ancestors utilized several objects for timekeeping since the beginning of time. A few of them are obelisks, candles, time sticks, and hourglasses. In the early 14th century, the Europeans invented the first mechanical clock. Today, you can see the time in other devices like your mobile phone, computer, etc.

Optical Lenses - 750 BC

Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians developed lenses. The process of making lenses dates back to 750 BC, and it involves polishing crystals, mostly quartz. Using optical lenses to help poor-sighted people see better, started in the 13th century, and this process uses materials like glass or plastic.

Approximately four centuries later, gadgets such as telescopes and microscopes were manufactured using optical lenses. Magnifying lenses back the advancements in astrology and biology, as they allow the viewing and studying of stars and planets, and also microorganisms. A few other devices that use lenses are binoculars, cameras, flashlights, and medical equipment.

Hindu Arabic Numeral System - 1st - 4th Centuries

Indian mathematicians between the 1st and 4th centuries developed the Hindu numeral system. In the 9th century, the Arabs adopted the system, and it later became the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. It is a positional, decimal system of numerals, and it is the most generally used and accepted numbering system in the world.

It comprises of ten elements - 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The elements used to represent the system are split into three categories: Indian numerals, Western Arabic numerals, and Eastern Arabic numerals.

Bicycle - 1817

Vehicles with two wheels that require balancing by humans for transportation date back to the 19th century. The 'penny farthing' is the first gadget to be identified as a bicycle. However, many picked up the concept and developed better bicycles over the years. Some of them are BMX bikes, mountain bikes, recumbent, hybrid, and commuter bicycles.

Although there's not one particular person to be credited for the invention of the bicycle, Baron Karl von Drais identifies as the first person to have a verified claim to have had an acceptable bicycle design.