Top 10 Cool Inventions by Women That Changed the World

Summary

This video from M, Mojo highlights the top 10 products invented by women that have significantly shaped the modern world. From Margaret E. Knight's square-bottomed paper bag to Stephanie Kwolek's Kevlar, each invention showcases the originality and impact of female ingenuity. Other notable inventions include the modern diaper, non-reflective glass, the automatic dishwasher, and Ada Lovelace's pioneering computer algorithm. The video also mentions the contributions of Grace Hopper and the Harvard Mark1 computer, emphasizing the technological advancements driven by women.

Takeaways

• 🛍️ The square-bottomed paper bag, invented by Margaret E. Knight, revolutionized packaging and supply chain efficiency.
• 👶 Modern diapers owe their existence to Maran Donovan's waterproof version and Valerie Hunter Gordon's disposable design, significantly easing childcare.
• 🏆 Katherine Blodgett's non-reflective glass, or 'invisible glass,' transformed various industries including cinema, military, and museum display.
• 🚔 Stephanie Kwolek's Kevlar has become synonymous with bulletproof protection but also finds use in a wide array of products from sports equipment to industrial materials.
• 🧊 Florence Parpart's modern electric refrigerator design made food storage more convenient and hygienic, replacing the traditional ice box.
• 📡 Hedy Lamarr, along with George Antheil, developed frequency-hopping technology which laid the groundwork for modern wireless communication systems like Wi-Fi and GPS.
• 🧬 Ida Henrietta Hyde's microelectrode invention was pivotal for the study of electrophysiology, allowing for the measurement of electrical activity within cells.
• 💉 Letitia Mumford Gear's one-hand medical syringe simplified medical procedures and improved patient care, becoming the standard in hospitals.
• 💻 Grace Hopper's work on the Harvard Mark I computer and her development of programming languages helped initiate the computing revolution.
• 👩‍💻 Ada Lovelace, through her collaboration with Charles Babbage, created the first computer algorithm, earning her title as the world's first computer programmer.

Q & A

Who is credited with inventing the square-bottomed paper bag?

Margaret E. Knight is credited with inventing the square-bottomed paper bag, which made packing groceries more convenient.

What innovation did Maran Donovan contribute to the diaper industry?

Maran Donovan created the first waterproof diaper by fastening part of a shower curtain to a diaper, which included snap fasteners.

Who developed disposable diapers with removable cellulose pads?

Valerie Hunter Gordon developed disposable diapers with removable cellulose pads and an outer plastic garment, patenting the design in 1949.

What is the significance of Katherine Blodgett's work on non-reflective glass?

Katherine Blodgett developed 'invisible glass' by coating it with barium stearate, which allowed 99% of light to pass through while being non-reflective, used in the movie industry and military applications.

Which material did Stephanie Kwolek invent that is known for its strength?

Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, a material known for its strength and is used in bulletproof vests, among other applications.

What was Florence Parpart's contribution to the modern refrigerator?

Florence Parpart's design for the modern electric refrigerator was the first to be commercially viable, improving upon previous refrigeration systems.

Who is known for inventing the automatic dishwasher?

Josephine Cochran is known for inventing the automatic dishwasher, which she patented in the mid-1880s.

What technology did Hedy Lamarr co-develop that has influenced modern wireless communication?

Hedy Lamarr co-developed a radio guiding system for torpedoes that led to spread spectrum communication technology, which is the basis for Wi-Fi, GPS, and other wireless technologies.

Who developed the microelectrode and how was it used?

Ida Henrietta Hyde developed the microelectrode, which is used to gauge the electrical properties of nervous tissue by stimulating and recording electrical activity within cells.

What was Laticia Mumford Gear's contribution to medical equipment?

Laticia Mumford Gear invented the one-hand medical syringe in the 1890s, which improved medical care and became the standard in hospitals.

Who is considered the first computer programmer and why?

Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer because she created the first computer algorithm for Charles Babbage's analytical engine.

Outlines

00:00

👩‍🔬 Top 10 Inventions by Women

This video script introduces the top 10 products invented by women that have significantly shaped the modern world. The list includes a variety of inventions ranging from everyday household items to technological innovations. Each product is ranked based on its originality, technological innovation, and human impact. The script highlights the integral role of women in the construction and development of these products. The narrator emphasizes the importance of recognizing the contributions of women in science and technology, and the video aims to celebrate their achievements.

05:00

🛠️ Groundbreaking Female Inventions

The second paragraph delves into specific examples of groundbreaking inventions by women. It starts with the square-bottomed paper bag invented by Margaret E. Knight, which revolutionized the grocery industry. The modern diaper is discussed, highlighting the contributions of Maran Donovan and Valerie Hunter Gordon, whose innovations made diapering more convenient and hygienic. The paragraph also covers non-reflective glass, invented by Dr. Katherine Blodgett, which has applications in various industries including film and military technology. Kevlar, developed by Stephanie Kwolek, is mentioned as a material with diverse uses, from bulletproof vests to sports equipment. The modern electric refrigerator, invented by Florence Parpart, and the automatic dishwasher by Josephine Cochran, are also highlighted as significant contributions to household convenience.

Keywords

💡Inventions by Women

The video script focuses on inventions that have been created by women, highlighting their significant contributions to technology and society. This theme is central to the video, as it aims to recognize and celebrate the often underrepresented role of women in the history of innovation. Examples from the script include the square-bottomed paper bag by Margaret E. Knight and the modern diaper by Maran Donovan and Valerie Hunter Gordon.

💡Technological Innovation

Technological innovation refers to the development or application of new tools, methods, and ideas that significantly impact society. The video emphasizes the role of women in driving such innovations, showcasing inventions that have shaped the modern world. For instance, Stephanie Kwolek's development of Kevlar and Florence Parpart's improvements to the electric refrigerator exemplify technological advancements that have had a profound impact.

💡Human Impact

Human impact denotes the influence or effect that a product, action, or invention has on people's lives. The video script ranks the inventions according to their human impact, emphasizing how these inventions have improved daily life. The modern diaper and the non-reflective glass (invisible glass) are examples where the script discusses how these inventions have made significant improvements to human comfort and functionality.

💡Square-bottomed Paper Bag

The square-bottomed paper bag is an invention by Margaret E. Knight that revolutionized packaging in grocery stores. It is an example of a simple yet effective innovation that has become an iconic part of modern shopping. The script describes how Knight's invention made packing more convenient and helped contain supply costs, demonstrating the practicality and originality of her work.

💡Modern Diaper

The modern diaper is a product that has significantly eased childcare by providing a disposable and more hygienic alternative to traditional cloth diapers. The script credits Maran Donovan and Valerie Hunter Gordon for their respective innovations that led to the creation of the modern diaper, showcasing how their inventions have impacted child care and hygiene.

💡Non-reflective Glass

Non-reflective glass, also known as invisible glass, is a type of glass coating that reduces reflections and allows more light to pass through. The script mentions Dr. Katherine Blodgett's work on this material, which has applications in various fields, including the movie industry and military technology. This keyword exemplifies how a woman's invention has had broad applications and improved visual clarity in various contexts.

💡Kevlar

Kevlar is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber, best known for its use in bulletproof vests. The script highlights Stephanie Kwolek's role in developing Kevlar, emphasizing how her work has contributed to safety and protection in various fields, from law enforcement to sports equipment.

💡Electric Refrigerator

The electric refrigerator is a household appliance that has replaced the traditional icebox for preserving food. Florence Parpart's patent for a commercially viable refrigeration system is mentioned in the script, illustrating how her invention has improved food storage and contributed to modern convenience.

💡Wireless Transmission Technology

Wireless transmission technology refers to the methods and systems that allow data to be sent and received without the need for physical connections. The script discusses Hedy Lamarr's contribution to this field with her work on a radio guiding system for torpedoes, which laid the foundation for technologies like Wi-Fi and GPS. This keyword underscores the video's theme of women's pivotal roles in technological advancements.

💡Computer Algorithm

A computer algorithm is a set of instructions or rules that a computer follows to perform a specific task or solve a problem. The script identifies Ada Lovelace as the creator of the first computer algorithm, working with Charles Babbage on the analytical engine. This keyword is crucial to the video's narrative, as it positions Lovelace as a pioneer in the field of computer programming.

Highlights

Margaret E. Knight invented the square-bottomed paper bag to improve packing efficiency.

Martha Donovan created the first waterproof diaper cover with snap fasteners.

Valerie Hunter Gordon developed disposable diapers with removable cellulose pads.

Dr. Katherine Blodgett's non-reflective glass, also known as invisible glass, revolutionized various industries.

Stephanie Kwolek's Kevlar is one of the toughest materials ever synthesized.

Florence Parpart's electric refrigerator design was the first to be commercially viable.

Josephine Cochran's automatic dishwasher made handwashing dishes obsolete.

Hedy Lamarr co-created a radio guiding system for torpedoes, leading to spread spectrum communication technology.

Ida Henrietta Hyde's microelectrode was a groundbreaking procedure in neurophysiology.

Laticia Mumford Gear's one-hand medical syringe improved medical care significantly.

Grace Hopper helped design the first programs for the Harvard Mark I computer.

Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer for her work on the analytical engine.

Margaret E. Knight was also called the 'Lady Edison' for her numerous inventions.

Martha Donovan's diaper cover rights were sold for one million dollars.

Kevlar's applications range from bulletproof vests to hockey sticks.

The modern syringe design made medical procedures more efficient and less invasive.

Grace Hopper's work on the Mark I laid the foundation for the computing revolution.

Ada Lovelace's notes on the analytical engine are now considered the first computer algorithm.

Transcripts

our lives are easier because of these

members of the fairer sex welcome to M

Mojo and today we'll be counting down

our picks for the top 10 products

invented by women these are only a few

of the General Electric women scientists

for this list we've chosen inventions

that have done their part to shape the

modern world a woman must have been

integral in the construction and or

development of each product in said

products have been ranked according to

their originality technological

innovation and human impact and I spent

my time sitting at my mother's seing

machine making these rich

things number 10 square bottomed paper

bag picking the right bag will

adequately contain the customer's items

and will also help contain Supply costs

the flat bottom paper bag is a grocery

store icon and its Origins can be traced

back to an Innovative woman named

Margaret E Knight Knight was born in

Maine in 1838 and soon began an

industrial life that would inform her

Creations leaving school at age 12 she

worked in various Mills and factories

before landing at a cotton mill it was

there that she noticed the

impracticality of paper bags and decided

that a flat bottom would surely ease the

packing process so she went to work on

the fruitful idea inventing a machine

that turned XOM paper bags into

convenient square based receptacles

Knight invented so many items in her

lifetime including a stop motion device

for looms that she was called the lady

Edison by some media Outlets number nine

modern

diaper oh God don't do that make it's

like Slum Dog Millionaire in there

what's worse than ch changing a diaper

having to use the same one over and over

again that was the case before two women

came along and revolutionized the

rearing process in the 1940s the

American Maran Donovan fastened part of

a shower curtain to a diaper and made

the first waterproof version of its kind

and actually we couldn't say it but it

did cure diaper rash the rights of her

Boer diaper cover with SNAP Fasteners

along with several other patents were

ultimately sold for one million doar

it's quite tricky to get anything that

held them so that it fitted the baby and

didn't leak during the same decade a UK

housewife named Valerie Hunter Gordon

developed disposable diapers in two-part

Contraptions with removable cellulose

pads and an outer plastic garment which

she patented in 1949 everybody wanted to

stop washing nappies and nowadays they

seem to want to watch them again using

Innovations from both designs the modern

diaper was created and soon monopolized

the child care Market as demonstrated by

apgar score which was invented by

anesthesiologist Virginia apgar in 1952

to record the health of new borns female

inventors revolutionize Child Care a c

hey the neighborhood watches here they

brought us

some what she's perfect no thanks to you

number eight non-reflective glass AKA

invisible glass this is Dr Katherine

blet an authority on the properties of

very thin Coatings and film Katherine b

blet a physicist from New York developed

what is known as invisible glass in the

late 1930s the General Electric employee

designed the product by covering glass

in a type of material called barium

sterate the film covered the glass with

44 monomolecular layers but still

allowed 99% of light to pass through it

thus creating a non-reflective and

nearly invisible compound this was a

Monumental breakthrough and the Miracle

glass coating which would come to be

known as langre blet film was quickly

instituted on a large scale after

becoming a coveted product in the movie

industry notably used and Gone With the

Wind the invisible glass was also

utilized in submarine periscopes and spy

plane cameras during World War II today

n reflective glass is used in everything

from eyeglasses to museum displays

number seven Kevlar he just went crazy I

think and he he would see things uh in

his bed moving like they were animals

and stuff the DuPont company has gotten

a bad rap in recent years thanks to

Johnny DuPont's murder conviction and

the movie based around those events are

you

okay ungrateful ape the one should not

Overlook its centuries of technological

innovation a prime example is the

creation of Kevlar which is one of the

toughest materials ever synthesized it

was a dupon chemist named Stephanie

qualik who developed the durable fiber

in

1965 everybody realized the potential uh

of this discovery the compound was

created when researching threading for

car tires and qux solution was so

incredible that it transcended the

confines of vehicle mobilization Kevlar

is probably best known for its use in

bulletproof armor bulletproof vest

genius but its other applications range

from hockey sticks to loudspeakers and

everything in between qualic received a

patent for her invention in

1966 number six Modern Electric

Refrigerator in your friger cold Pantry

there's a place for all your Foods fresh

and frozen refrigeration systems were in

place before Florence parpart won her

1914 patent but her design was the first

to be commercially viable parpart

greatly improved on the previous

Refrigeration patent and created a

highly useful and practical Appliance

for anyone with electricity your giant

ice block would go in here right this

side would keep cool and it would melt

down here it would drain into your

little pan down there you'd empty that

it is said that par Parts refrigerators

replace the ice box which was simply an

insulated box with a slab of ice as the

foremost food storage unit speaking of

household appliances it was a woman

named Josephine Cochran who made

handwashing dishes obsolete with her

invention of the automatic dishwasher

which she patented in the mid 1880s and

which went on to become the first

commercially successful device of its

kind these two women made life so much

easier because it makes every night your

night off it gets you out of the kitchen

after dinner to join in the family fun

number five Wireless transmission

technology are you a movie

star Hedy Lamar an early movie star and

sex symbol lived a double life as a

technological wizard the Austria born

Starlet marketed as the world's most

beautiful woman teamed with composer

George anti to create a radio guiding

system for torpedos this system led to

what is now called spread Spectrum

communication technology and was

developed by Lamar and Company to

protect missiles from enemy interference

the frequency hopping technology was so

Advanced that it was not used by the

military until decades later but

missiles were the smallest of possible

applications because when we say it is

now used in everything we mean

everything Lamar's invention is the

basis for Wi-Fi GPS and other Wireless

Technologies in other words it runs our

world the

worlds the

world the

world the world number four micro

electrode a microelectrode is a tiny

metal device that is used to gauge the

electrical properties of nervous tissue

inserted into a cell it stimulates and

Records electrical activity and

determines the energy output of certain

biological systems it was a physiologist

named Ida Henrietta Hyde who developed

the microelectrode in 1921 she used

glass micro pipets to reach within the

tissue of the cell install the electrode

and remove the pipet without any harm

done to the cell and at the time this

was a groundbreaking procedure in

neurophysiology today micro electrodes

are the key elements the study of

electrophysiology and it's Hyde who

paved the way number three medical

[Applause]

syringe syringes were complicated

devices that were wielded like

jackhammers in the 1800s the modern

syringe is so far removed from those

clunky Contraptions and it was Laticia

Mumford gear who bridged the gap between

the two gear invented the one-hand

medical syringe in the 1890s with the

patent being granted to her before the

end of that decade it goes without

saying that gear improved Medical Care

with her handy design design and soon

hospitals were using them exclusively

little is known about her life outside

of the patent but that's more than

enough to endure her Legacy as an

innovator number two Harvard mark1

computer and you worked on the original

computer in this country right I was

very fortunate the Navy owed me to the

first big computer in the United States

a team of Harvard researchers created

one of the first electromechanical

computers in the late 1930s early 1940s

helmed by Howard aen the team included a

young woman named Grace Hopper who

became one of the world's preeminent

computer scientists

Hopper helped designed the mark 1's

first programs which calculated large

sums that could not be processed by the

human mind the program was used for all

sorts of important work including

calculations for the Manhattan Project

as one of the first of its kind

developed the Mark 1 also known as the

automatic sequence control calculator

started at Computing Revolution the

result of which you can see on your

screen before we unveil our top pick

here are a few honorable mentions and

I'm coming up

Maria mtito Papa

[Music]

number one computer algorithm while

Grace Hopper programmed one of the first

electromechanical computers data love

lace made the first computer program

ever love lace was a mathematician from

London who worked with Charles babage on

the first mechanical computer this

computer was called the analytical

engine and was first proposed in the

1830s LEL spent considerable time

devising uses for the machine and

eventually compiled a series of notes on

which the computer could be run the

result is what is now considered the

first computer algorithm because of this

breakthrough LEL is considered history's

first computer programmer and

essentially the fire starter in an

electronically Dark World do you agree

with our list what's your favorite

product by a female inventor creating a

square bottom space put glass items in

the bag to help protect them from

breakage for more technological top 10

published daily be sure to subscribe to

M Mojo so go and see the westing house

dishwasher at your dealers tomorrow pick

the model you like best and remember you

can be sure if it's westing house

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