Best Inventions of 2001

Inventions come in all shapes and sizes. Some are as simple as purple catsup. Others push the limits of quantum physics. The real measure of an invention is not just how well it works or how impressively it is engineered, but how it changes our lives.

Heat-Generating Jacket

inventions 2001 heat-generating jacket

Stan Musilek for TIME

Inventor: Maiden Ventures, Polartec and North Face Research, Design & Development

Forget the down jacket, the long underwear and the extra-thick scarf. Designed for extreme cold, the North Face MET5 jacket can keep you warm all by itself, thanks to a network of microscopic, waterproof heating elements woven into the fabric. Working a control unit stashed near the chest, you can dial the heat up to 114 degrees F. Small lithium-ion batteries keep the juice flowing for up to five hours.

Availability: Now, for $500
To Learn More: www.thenorthface.com

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