One Hundred Great Things

(4 of 5)

--Barnum's Animal Crackers 1902, introduced by the National Biscuit Co.

--Model T 1908, by Henry Ford

--Electric Range 1910, by Hotpoint

--Vitamins 1912, by scientists Frederick Hopkins and Casimir Funk

--Brassiere 1914, popularized by Mary Phelps Jacob, a New York City debutante who later sold the patent

--Insulin 1921, by researchers Frederick Grant Banting, Charles Best and colleagues

--Kleenex 1924, first disposable tissue developed by Kimberly-Clark

---Penicillin 1928, developed and first tested by Alexander Fleming

--Strained Baby Food 1928, by Daniel and Dorothy Gerber for Fremont Canning Co (later Gerber)

--Domestic Air Conditioner 1928, by Willis Carrier. Model name: the Weathermaker

--Scotch Tape 1930 developed by Richard Drew at 3M

--Flashbulb 1930, as Photoflash lamps by General Electric

--Alka-Seltzer 1931, by Miles Laboratory (later Bayer Corp.)

--Do-It-Yourself Hair Dye 1931, based on a French product area introduced to US by Lawrence and Joan Gelb, Clairol founders

--Electric Razor 1931, by Col. Jacob Schick, who sold 3,000 the first year

--Stereo System 1931, by Alan Blumlein, working for Britain's EMI

--Tampons 1931, developed by Earl Haas and made by Tampax

--Tape Recorder 1935, at Germany's AEG

--Kodachrome Film 1935, brilliant color film based on invention by two young classical musicians

--Garbage Disposer 1935, called the Disposal, by GE

--Blender 1937, from an idea by big-band leader Fred Waring

--Releasable Ski Binding 1937, by ski racer Hjalmar Hvam after breaking his leg

--Fluorescent Lighting 1938, made commercially by GE

--Ballpoint Pen 1938, designed by Hungarians Ladislao and Georg Biro

--Teflon 1938, invented as coating by DuPont

--Jet Engine 1939 and 1941, independently by German inventor Hans von Ohain and Frank Whittle

--Nylon 1939, by DuPont, at lab led by Wallace Hume Carothers

--Electric Kettle 1940, by Fred Moffatt for Canadian GE; 1855, popularized by Russell Hobbes

--Permanent-Press Fabric 1941, Terylene by John Rex Whinfield

--Velcro 1941, by Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who noted how cockleburs stuck to his socks

--Cake Mix 1940s, by General Mills and Pillsbury Co

--Tupperware 1946, by Earl Tupper

--Automatic Electric Clothes Washer 1947, by GE

--Long-Playing Record 1948, by Peter Carl Goldmark of CBS

--Instant Camera 1948, Polaroid Land Camera by Edwin Land

--Electric Guitar 1948, by C. Leo Fender

--Photocopier 1949, by Haloid (later Xerox), having acquired Chester Carlson's basic xerographic patents

--Color TV 1953, by RCA, whose design beat out CBS

--Reddi-wip 1954, in aerosol can, by Bunnie Lapin

--Portable Home Dishwasher 1954, by GE

--Polio vaccine 1955, by Jonas Salk, approved for use

--Transistor Radio 1955, by Sony

--Frisbee 1957, produced by Wham-O, invented by Walter Frederick Morrison

--LEGO system 1958, children's building blocks introduced by Denmark's Lego Co.

--Hula Hoop 1958, by Wham-O