List of Famous Inventors
Here is a list of famous inventors, who have made significant innovative contributions in various fields.
We have come a long way from the days when human beings used stones to create fire, today we have electricity. Or take the example of the sleek automobiles that have replaced the humble bullock carts. Ever wondered about the people who have made such significant contributions and made our lives so much easier? Yes, the people who have invented so many gadgets and useful things, here is an attempt to list out the prominent inventors.
List of Famous Inventors
Archimedes: Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer and an inventor. His contributions have been valuable in several fields, however there are some specific inventions, which have popularized him. Some of his famous inventions include the Golden Crown theory, which was used to determine the volume of objects, the Archimedes screw which was developed in order to remove the bilge water and was nothing but a device that included a revolving screw-shaped blade inside a cylinder. The Archimedes screw was turned by hand and could generally be used to transfer water from a low-lying body of water into an irrigation canal. Till date, the Archimedes screw is use for pumping liquids.
Albert Einstein: The name Einstein is synonymous with genius. He is responsible for the special and general theory of relativity, and his work on the photoelectric effect. He also invented a few devices like Einstein calculator. Read more articles and information about Einstein’s accomplishments.
Charles Babbage: Imagine a life without computers? Impossible, right? Well, the man you need to thank is Charles Babbage. He was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who came up with the concept of a programmable computer and is said to have invented the first mechanical computer.
Karl Benz: Although the rising gasoline prices might seem like a nightmare, you have to admit that a life without cars would have been pretty boring. Well, Karl Friedrich Benz was the German engine designer and automobile engineer who invented the gasoline-powered automobile.
Tim Berners-Lee: Well, if imagining a life without computers was impossible for some of you, then think about a life without good ol’ Internet! Kudos to the man who invented the Internet. Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee is an English computer scientist, who invented the World Wide Web On December 25, 1990.
Laszlo Biro: In love with your favorite ballpen? Well then you need to know who invented it! Laszlo Biro was the inventor of the modern ballpoint pen.
Clarence Birdseye: Remember the times when there is just no time to cook after you have slogged three jobs during the day? Isn’t frozen food a life-saver at times like these? You need to thank Clarence Frank Birdseye II, the American inventor who is considered the founder of the modern frozen food industry.
Nils Bohlin: Safety while driving just can’t be stressed enough. Nils Bohlin invented the safety belts, which are now considered as a very important part of road safety.
Louis Braille: Thanks to Louis Braille, a number of visually impaired people can now read and write - yes, he was the inventor of the Braille system, which is now used worldwide.
John Browning: John Browning was the inventor of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and has as many as 28 gun patents under his name.
Bartolomeo Cristofori: The inventor of the Piano - Bartolomeo Cristofori di Francesco was an Italian musical instrument maker who invented the piano.
Leonardo da Vinci: Although there are many inventions, which can be accredited to Leonardo da Vinci, one has to remember that he lived in times where there was no patent system. However, some of the inventions, which are known to have been his ideas, are Strut Bridge, the automated bobbin winder, the machine for testing the tensile strength of wire and the lens-grinding machine.
William Kennedy Dickson: William Kennedy Laurie Dickson was an Anglo-Scottish inventor who created and an early motion picture camera.
Rudolf Diesel: Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel was a German inventor who is known for his invention of the compression ignition engine.
George Eastman: The man who invented the roll film, which not only was a great boost for the art of photography but also became the basis for the invention of motion picture films.
Thomas Edison: Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor who developed several devices like the electric light bulb and the phonograph.
Willem Einthoven: Willem Einthoven was a Dutch doctor and physiologist, who invented the first practical electrocardiogram also known as ECG.
Douglas Engelbart: Well how can you forget your computer’s faithful companion? Dr. Douglas C. Engelbart invented the computer mouse.
Michael Faraday: Faraday is known for his invention of Faraday’s rotator, Faraday’s cage, Faraday’s law of induction and of course the unit Faraday. Faraday also discovered the laws of electrolysis and popularised terminology such as anode, cathode, electrode, and ion, terms largely created by William Whewell.
Alexander Fleming: Alexander Fleming is most popularly known for his discovery of antibiotic Penicillin from the fungus Penicillium notatum in the year 1928. He also discovered the enzyme lysozyme in 1922.
Jean Bernard Leon Foucault: Jean Bernard Leon Foucault invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and also a musical instrument.
William Friese-Greene: William Friese-Greene is known as a pioneer in the field of motion pictures and also known as the inventor of cinematography.
Dennis Gabor: Dennis Gabor was a Hungarian electrical engineer, who invented holography.
Bette Nesmith Graham: Bette Nesmith Graham was the inventor of Liquid Paper, which is nothing but the brand name of opaque correction fluid, which is used to cover up mistakes on paper without retyping the entire sheet.
Johann Gutenberg: Johann Gutenberg is known as the man who was the first European to use movable type printing, in around 1439, but more importantly he was the one who invented mechanical printing.
Elias Howe: Elias Howe was an American inventor who invented the sewing machine.
Whitcomb L. Judson: Whitcomb L. Judson was an American inventor, who invented the forerunner of the modern zipper in 1893, which was called the clasp-locker.
John Harvey Kellogg: Can’t get your day kick-started without your favorite morning cereal, can you? Well it all started with corn flakes! John Kellogg was the inventor of the corn flakes breakfast cereal with help from his brother Will Keith Kellogg.
Rene Laennec: One of the important inventions in the medical field is the stethoscope. Rene-Laennec was a physician, who invented of the stethoscope.
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: Known as the father of Microbiology, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is best known for his work on the improvement of the microscope. He also created over 400 different types of microscopes.
Charles Mackintosh: Remember the embarrassment of spilling your drink on your clothes? Well, thanks to the guy who invented waterproof fabrics - Charles Macintosh.
Guglielmo Marconi: Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, who invented the radiotelegraph system.
Dmitri Mendeleev: Known popularly as the father of the periodic table of the elements, Dmitri Mendeleev is credited as being the creator of the first version of the periodic table of elements.
Robert Moog: Dr. Robert Arthur Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.
Samuel Morse: Samuel Morse invented the single wire telegraph system, and co-invented the Morse code.
James Naismith: James Naismith invented the popular sport of Basket Ball and is also credited with inventing the first football helmet.
Isaac Newton: Isaac Newton was the one to discover gravity. Newton is known for his theories about the phenomenon of universal gravitation and also propounded the three famous laws of motion.
Nicephore Niepce: Joseph Nicephore Niepce was a French inventor, who is known as inventor of photography.
Hans Christian Orsted: Hans Christian Orsted is known discovering the relationship between electricity and magnetism known as electromagnetism.
Nicolae Paulescu: Nicolae Paulescu was a Romanian physiologist and a professor of medicine, who is credited for the discovery of insulin.
Les Paul: Lovers of Rock and Roll should know that Les Paul is the inventor of the solid-body electric guitar.
John Pemberton: Can’t live without your daily can of cola? Ever wondered who invented it? An American druggist called John Stith Pemberton invented Cola.
James Leonard Plimpton: James Leonard Plimpton was an American inventor whom every skater would thank. He is the man who invented and patented roller skates in 1863.
Charles Francis Richter: Charles Richter is the inventor of the Richter magnitude scale, which is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.
Erno Rubik: Yes, you guessed it right! Erno Rubik is a Hungarian inventor, sculptor and professor of architecture, who invented the popular mechanical puzzles including Rubik's Cube, Rubik's Magic and Rubik's Snake.
Adolphe Sax: Again, the invention is hidden in the name - Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone.
Igor Sikorsky: Igor Sikorsky was a Russian-American, who invented and flew the world's first multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft. He also discovered the first of Pan American Airways ocean-conquering flying boats in the 1930s, and the first successful American helicopter too!
Levi Strauss: All fashion gurus will agree that a pair of blue jeans is a must-have! Well kudos to the man who invented it! Levi Strauss invented the blue jeans.
Percy Spencer: Thankful that old bulky cooking appliances have been replaced by the microwave? Percy Spencer is the man you should be grateful to, he is the inventor of the microwave oven.
Edward Teller: Edward Teller was the inventor of the hydrogen bomb.
Theophilus Van Kannel: Theophilus Van Kannel was a Dutch-American inventor, who is popular for his invention of the revolving door.
Alessandro Volta: Alessandro Volta is known for the invention of the first electric cell in 1800.
James Watt: James Watt is the man who improved and materialized the steam engine.
Charles Wheatstone: Charles Wheatstone is accredited for his invention of the English concertina, the stereoscope (which is a device for displaying three-dimensional images), and the Playfair cipher (which is an encryption technique).
Eli Whitney: Eli Whitney is the inventor of the cotton gin, which is a machine that efficiently separates the cotton fibers from the seedpods.
Paul Winchell: Paul Winchell is the man who built and patented the first mechanical, artificial heart, implantable in the chest cavity.
Wright Brothers: Orville and Wilbur Wright were the two Americans brothers who are credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and also for making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight.
Arthur Wynne: Can you imagine your morning newspaper without a crossword puzzle? Well, thanks to Mr. Arthur Wyne, the man who invented the crossword puzzle in 1913.
