Here’s a list of a few things we can’t imagine our lives without, that were invented by women.

1. Flat bottomed paper bags invented by Margaret Knightwood in 1868.

In 1868, while working in a paper bag plant, Margaret Knightwood came up with the idea of inventing a machine that folded and glued paper to form the flat bottomed brown paper bags. The machine invented by her is used till date.

2. Kevlar invented by Stephanie Kwolek in 1965

In 1965, Stephanie Kwolek created synthetic fibers of exceptional strength and stiffness, known as Kevlar. This material which is five times stronger than steel is today used in manufacturing bulletproof jackets as well as boats, airplanes, ropes and cables.

3. Windshield wiper invented by Mary Anderson in 1903

It is impossible for us to imagine cars without windshield wipers. But there existed a world without one. While riding a streetcar on a blustery day, she watched the conductor repeatedly reach through his side window to clear snow and sleet from the windshield by hand. This made her design a wiper operated by handle.

4. Automatic dishwasher invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1886.

While once washing the dishes herself, Josephine Cochrane thought why no one had invented to do this job. Soon, she sketched out her idea and got a patent for the first automatic dishwasher. The model designed by her is still used in hotels and restaurants.

5. Alphabet Blocks invented by Adeline D.T. Whitney in 1882.

We’ve all grown up playing with alphabet blocks. They were invented by a woman from Massachusetts, Adeline D.T. Whitney who was also a poet and writer.

6. Circular Saw invented by Tabitha Babbitt in 1813.

Tabitha Babbitt came up with the prototype of a circular saw when she saw men working hard at work sawing logs. An improved version of her design is now being used by industries.

7. Retractable dog leash invented by Mary A. Delaney in 1908.

Mary A. Delaney, an American inventor received a patent on May 12, 1908 for her invention of the retractable dog leash. Her invention was aimed to ease the life dog owners.

8. Invisible glass invented by Katharine Burr Blodgett in 1953.

Katharine Burr Blodgett was a brilliant chemist. She invented ‘invisible’ glass by adding layers of film to both sides of a sheet of glass until the visible light reflected by the layers cancelled that reflected by the glass. This technology is now used in windshields, movie cameras, and computer screens.

9. Beer invented by Mesopotamian women.

Jane Peyton, an author claims that beer was invented by ancient Mesopotamian women. They were the first to develop, sell, and even drink beer.

10. COBOL computer software invented by Dr. Grace Murray Hopper in 1961.

A computer pioneer and a naval officer, Dr. Grace Murray Hopper led the team that invented COBOL, the first user-friendly business computer software program.

11. Ice cream freezer invented by Nancy Johnson in 1843.

The first ice cream freezing machine developed by Nancy Johnson, was a manual device cranked by a handle. It was a simple yet genius device which went on to become the standard mechanism for several years.

12. Monopoly board game invented by Elizabeth Magie in 1903.

Elizabeth Magie designed the game in 1903, as a protest against the big monopolists of her time. While she never got credit for her invention, it was Darrow who made huge profits from selling the game.

13. Chocolate chip cookies invented by Ruth Wakefield in 1938.

Chocolate chip cookies were accidentally invented by Ruth Wakefield when she ran out of baker’s chocolate while baking a batch of Butter Drop Do cookies for her guests.

14. Car heaters invented by Margaret A Wilcox in 1893.

Whenever you enter your car, you must be thankful to the person who invented the car heating systems. Margaret A Wilcox, one of the few female mechanical engineers of her era created a system that could direct air from over the engines of the cars to warm the interiors.

15. Fire escape invented by Anna Connelly in 1887.

In 1887, when women were hardly allowed to move out of their houses, Anna Connelly designed the first ever fire escape. It was an exterior staircase with platforms between levels that prevented people from falling several stories down the stairs during emergency.

16. Central heating systems invented by Alice Parker in 1919.

Alice Parker designed the first gas-powered central heating systems in 1919. Although her design was never used to build heater, it inspired the future central heating systems for sure.

17.  Wireless Transmission Technology invented by Hedy Lamarr in 1941.

Hedy Lamarr, the Austrian actress, famous for her acting and beauty also  invented a system of wireless communication called ‘spread spectrum’ to fight the Nazis during World War II. This technology was also the foundation for modern WiFi and mobile phones.

18. CCTV invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown in 1966.

When Marie Van Brittan Brown observed that police were slow to respond to calls for help at times, she took matters into her own hands and devised the CCTV system to help ensure people’s security. Her inventions are the basis for modern day CCTV cameras.

19. The Modern Electric Refrigerator invented by Florence Parpart in 1914.

Very little is known about Florence Parpart who got the design of modern electric refrigerator patented in her name in 1914. 

20.  Life Raft invented by Maria Beasley in 1882.

Maria Beasley can be credited to have saved millions of lives by inventing life rafts. Not just life rafts, she also invented cooking pans and foot warmers. 

Cheers to these genius women who we can’t thank enough for these inventions.