The 50 Best Inventions of 2009

From a rocket of the future to a $10 million lightbulb, here are TIME's picks for the best new gadgets and breakthrough ideas of the year

By Lisa Abend, Alex Altman, Theunis Bates, Gilbert Cruz, Andrea Dorfman, Charles Duerr, Laura Fitzpatrick, Andréa Ford, Sean Gregory, Lev Grossman, Peter Ha, Barbara Kiviat, Jeffrey Kluger, Krista Mahr, Coco Masters, Alice Park, Kate Pickert, Claire Suddath and Bryan Walsh More »

Photos: The Ares Rocket Launches

NASA celebrates the successful test of a mission prototype More »
Photos: Inventors and Their Inventions

Photographer David Friedman explores the inspiration that moves inventors More »
Photos: A Steam-Powered Car Sets a Land Speed Record

The British Steam Car breaks a century-old mark More »
Photos: The Robo-Penguin

Researchers at Festo's Bionic Learning Network develop a remarkably lifelike mechanical penguin More »
The Five Worst Inventions

Here are some that did not make the list More »
Video: The Telescope for Invisible Stars

The Herschel will let humans see objects in the universe so cold and faint they emit no visible light More »
Video: Best Inventions of 2009

TIME senior writer Lev Grossman discusses some of the top choices for 2009 Best Inventions of the Year More »
Video: The Ares I Rocket

TIME's best invention of the year may send Americans back to the Moon and put the first human on Mars More »
Video: Five Worst Inventions

TIME senior writer Lev Grossman dons a snuggie (but not a gas mask bra) to discuss the choices for Worst Inventions of the Year More »
50 Best Inventions 2008

From a genetic testing service to an invisibility cloak to an ingenious public bike system to the world's first moving skyscraper — here are TIME's picks for the top innovations of 2008 More »