100 things we didn't have 100 years ago.

100 Innovations Since 1925

The century since 1925 has seen an explosion of human ingenuity. Today, we navigate life with a Computer, edit our thoughts in tools like word processors, and view the world through browsers — none of which were possible a hundred years ago. This list explores 100 things that have redefined modern existence.

Big Things

Physically massive items and infrastructure that transformed the global landscape.

1. The US Interstate / UK Motorway Network: While a 3km stretch existed in Italy in 1924, in the US, the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 fundamentally changed how a continent moves. The UK didn't open its first motorway (the Preston Bypass) until 1958.
2. The Shipping Container: The standardized 20 and 40-foot metal boxes (1956) that allow for the modern global movement of goods.
3. The Commercial Jetliner: Physically massive aircraft like the Boeing 747 that made international travel a daily reality.
4. The Modern Jet Engine: First patented by Frank Whittle in 1930, providing the massive thrust required for high-speed aerospace travel.
5. The Channel Tunnel: The 31-mile physical rail tunnel under the sea connecting the UK and France, opened in 1994.
6. The Nuclear Reactor: Enormous physical structures used to generate power, with the first commercial grid connection in 1954.
7. The Space Station: A huge modular structure in orbit; construction of the International Space Station began in 1998.
8. The Aircraft Carrier: The largest class of naval vessels, which became the primary capital ship of navies after 1925.
9. The High-Speed Train: Rail systems like the Japanese Shinkansen (1964) traveling at speeds over 200 mph.
10. The Communications Satellite: Large pieces of orbital machinery that relay global data, first launched in the late 1950s.
11. The MRI Scanner: A large-scale medical machine used in hospitals for internal imaging, with the first clinical scan in 1980.
12. The Modern Roller Coaster: Physically massive steel structures using computer-controlled systems for maneuvers impossible in 1925.
13. The Heart-Lung Machine: A bulky piece of surgical infrastructure taking over heart and lung functions, first used in 1953.
14. The Helicopter: A versatile large machine for vertical takeoff; mass production began in the early 1940s.
15. The Modern Skyscraper: Super-tall buildings using advanced steel and glass engineering that redefined city skylines post-1925.
16. The Suspension Bridge: Massive spans like the Golden Gate Bridge (1937) crossing huge bodies of water.
17. The Hydroelectric Dam: Gigantic concrete structures like the Hoover Dam (1936) built to harness water for electricity.
18. The Radio Telescope: Enormous physical dishes used to listen to the stars since the 1930s.
19. The Particle Accelerator: Miles-long physical infrastructure, like the Large Hadron Collider, used for subatomic research.
20. The Multi-storey Car Park: Large physical buildings dedicated solely to vehicle storage as car ownership exploded.
21. The Modern Cruise Ship: Enormous floating cities that grew significantly in size and complexity throughout the 20th century.
22. The Wind Turbine: Tall, slender structures with massive rotating blades used to generate renewable energy.
23. The Solar Farm: Large-scale physical installations covering acres of land with photovoltaic panels.
24. The Bulldozer: A heavy-duty piece of construction machinery that became a standard tool for earthmoving after 1925.
25. The Combine Harvester: A massive self-propelled agricultural machine that revolutionized farming from the late 1930s.
26. The Server Farm: Enormous physical warehouses filled with rows of hardware that power the modern internet.
27. The Airport: The vast physical infrastructure of runways and terminals required to process millions of passengers for air travel.
28. The Hovercraft: A large amphibious vehicle traveling on a cushion on air, first commercially operated in 1962.
29. The Deep-Sea Submersible: Physically robust pressurized vessels designed to explore the deepest parts of the ocean.
30. The Supermarket Building: The large-format physical retail store where customers serve themselves, first appearing in 1930.
31. The Oil Rig: Enormous offshore structures used to extract petroleum from beneath the seabed.
32. The Cooling Tower: The iconic large hyperboloid structures found at power stations, used to release waste heat.
33. The Articulated Lorry: A large heavy-goods vehicle consisting of a tractor unit and a semi-trailer for hauling freight.
34. The Tunnelling Machine: A gigantic mechanical drill used to bore through rock and soil for subways and roads.
35. The Double Decker Bus: The modern enclosed large-capacity bus that became a global city staple post-1925.
36. The Radar Array: Large-scale physical antenna systems used for detecting aircraft and ships, developed in the 1930s.
37. The Mobile Crane: High-capacity lifting machinery essential for modern construction and engineering.
38. The Forklift Truck: A large industrial machine used in warehouses to move heavy pallets, popularized in the 1930s.
39. The Water Tower: Modern elevated large-scale storage tanks that provide pressure for municipal water systems.
40. The Cell Phone Tower: The physical network of masts that allows mobile devices to function globally.

Social Innovations

Shifts in law, culture, and social systems that fundamentally changed how we behave.

[Image of the first Academy Awards ceremony (1929) or a vintage Oscar statuette]

41. The Breathalyzer: First developed as the "Drunkometer" in 1938 to regulate road safety and driver behavior.
42. Sound in Film: "Talkies" began in 1927 with The Jazz Singer. In 1924, all movies were still silent.
43. The Academy Awards (The Oscars): The cultural institution for cinematic excellence; the first ceremony was held in 1929.
44. The National Health Service (NHS): The 1948 system providing comprehensive healthcare for all in Great Britain.
45. Universal Suffrage (UK): The Equal Franchise Act of 1928 finally gave women the same voting rights as men.
46. The 40-Hour Work Week: The 1940 legal standard that defined the modern work-life balance for millions.
47. The United Nations: The primary global organization for cooperation established in 1945.
48. The Credit Card System: Universal charging across various merchants, which began with the Diners Club in 1950.
49. Emergency Calling Systems: The centralized 999 (UK, 1937) and 911 (US, 1968) systems for public safety.
50. Mandatory Seatbelt Laws: The social and legal requirement for road safety that emerged in the 1970s and 80s.
51. Indoor Smoking Bans: A significant cultural and public health shift that began in the early 2000s.
52. Recycling Programs: The social and municipal infrastructure for waste management popularized in the 1970s.
53. Equal Pay Legislation: Legislative shifts toward gender pay equality that began in the 1960s and 70s.
54. The Concept of the "Teenager": The social recognition of a distinct age demographic that emerged in the 1940s.
55. Modern Civil Rights Legislation: The legal codification of racial and social equality in the mid-20th century.
56. The Paralympics: The global sporting event for athletes with disabilities, first held in 1960.
57. Universal Human Rights Declaration: The 1948 UN declaration establishing global social standards.
58. Public Wi-Fi Expectations: The social norm of constant digital connectivity that began in the late 1990s.
59. Blood Donation Banks: The organized social system for collecting and storing blood for medicine (1930s).
60. National Lottery Systems: Large-scale public-benefit gaming, launched in the UK in 1994.

Little Things

Handheld gadgets and household items that define our daily routines.

61. The Smartphone: Handheld computers that redefined communication, defined by the 2007 iPhone.
62. The Ballpoint Pen: The small rolling-ball writing tool that replaced fountain pens; patented in 1938.
63. The Sliced Loaf: A standard household convenience; first sold commercially in 1928.
64. The Post-it Note: Re-adherable paper notes released by 3M in 1980 after an accidental discovery.
65. The QR Code: Small square barcodes used for links and data, invented in 1994.
66. The Barcode: Small series of lines for product tracking, first scanned on gum in 1974.
67. The Microchip: Tiny integrated circuits that power all modern digital electronics (1958).
68. The Transistor: The small component that replaced bulky vacuum tubes in 1947.
69. The Computer Mouse: A small handheld device for navigating screens, patented in 1970.
70. The Laptop: Portable personal computers that first emerged in the early 1980s.
71. The Digital Watch: Small timepieces displaying digits, first released to the public in 1972.
72. The Smartwatch: Wrist-worn computers common for health and notifications since 2015.
73. The LED Bulb: Small, highly efficient light sources that have replaced incandescent bulbs.
74. The Disposable Syringe: Plastic medical tools for single use, mass-produced since 1954.
75. The Birth Control Pill: A small daily pill approved in 1960 that transformed social structures.
76. The Antibiotic Pill: Portable doses of life-saving medicine common since the 1930s.
77. The Pacemaker: Tiny electronics implanted in the chest to regulate the heart (1958).
78. The Contact Lens: Tiny plastic lenses worn on the eye, developed in 1948.
79. The Aerosol Can: Small pressurized spray cans for everything from paint to hairspray (1927).
80. The Bubble Gum: Perfection of the modern chewable bubble candy in 1928.
81. The Frozen Meal: Pre-packaged retail frozen foods introduced in 1930.
82. The Velcro Strap: Small hook-and-loop fasteners used globally; patented in 1955.
83. The Slinky: The classic coiled spring toy invented by accident in 1943.
84. The Tupperware Container: Lightweight plastic food storage with an airtight seal (1946).
85. The Microwave Oven: A compact kitchen appliance first sold commercially in 1947.
86. The Electric Shaver: A handheld tool for dry shaving, first patented in 1928.
87. The Pop-up Toaster: The "Toastmaster" kitchen appliance sold from 1926.
88. The Smoke Detector: A small home safety device that became common in the 1970s.
89. The Garbage Bag: Plastic polyethylene bags for waste collection, invented in 1950.
90. The Aluminium Foil: Roll-form wrap that replaced "tin foil" starting in 1926.
91. The Remote Control: Handheld TV-operating devices introduced in 1950.
92. The USB Stick: Tiny flash-memory data storage released in the year 2000.
93. The SIM Card: The identifying chip for mobile phones, first appearing in 1991.
94. The Earbud: Small speakers popularized for music by the iPod in 2001.
95. The Consumer Drone: Remotely-piloted aircraft common for fun and photos since the 2010s.
96. The VR Headset: Immersive digital eyewear released for the home in 2016.
97. The Fitness Tracker: Wrist-worn health monitors that became a trend in the 2010s.
98. The Electric Toothbrush: Handheld hygiene tools common in homes since the 1960s.
99. The Smart Plug: Small devices for controlling home appliances via a smartphone.
100. The Voice Assistant: Small smart speakers like the Amazon Echo.