Ruth Wakefield unintentionally created the first chocolate-chip cookie as a result of a baking error.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting remarkable inventions by women.
Nancy Johnson invented the first hand-cranked ice-cream maker in 1843.
Renowned American chef Julia Child developed a shark repellent while working as a CIA assistant.
This Women’s History Month, we reflect on some of the notable inventions created by women throughout history and their origins.
Some inventions, like the chocolate-chip cookie, were happy accidents, while others were meticulously developed over years before gaining global recognition. Some inventions by women were later replicated by other inventors and became popular household items we know today.
Here are 20 surprising inventions you may not have known were created by women:
– Glass aquariums were innovated by Jeanne Villepreux-Power in 1832 to aid in her study of aquatic organisms.
– Nancy Johnson patented the first hand-cranked ice-cream maker in 1843.
– Sarah Boone, an African American dressmaker from the 19th century, revolutionized homemaking with the modern ironing board.
– Anna Connelly proposed the idea of exterior fire escapes to address the rise of multilevel buildings resulting in fire-related deaths.
– Maria Beasley’s collapsible life rafts transformed safety in transatlantic travel.
These inventions by women have left a lasting impact in various fields, showcasing their ingenuity and contributions to innovation.
A rescue plane in the South Pacific in April 1944. Horace Bristol/Corbis via Getty Images. Beasley obtained a patent for her collapsible life rafts in 1880, as reported by the University of Edinburgh. By that time, she was already a well-known entrepreneur and inventor. These rafts occupied less space than traditional wooden lifeboats, such as those used during the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic. Each raft had the capacity to accommodate up to 47 individuals and introduced the concept of guard rails, now commonly found in modern life-raft designs, according to St Mary’s College. While some sources suggest that Beasley’s life rafts were utilized during the Titanic evacuation, author David H. Cropley dismisses this claim in his book, “Femina Problematis Solvendis ― Problem-Solving Woman: A History of the Creativity of Women.” Cropley pointed out, “If the four collapsible lifeboats carried on the Titanic were based on Beasley’s design, then something went wrong since only two were launched before the ship sank.” Shark repellent was actually invented by the renowned American chef Julia Child. Biography mentioned that after losing her job in the advertising department of W. & J. Sloane home-furnishings company, Child relocated to Washington, DC, before embarking on her culinary journey. While in Washington, she volunteered as a research assistant for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a newly established government intelligence agency that later evolved into the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). During her time at the OSS, Child created a shark repellent and facilitated the secure transfer of crucial, classified documents between US government officials and intelligence officers, as documented by History.com. In the 1880s, Josephine Cochrane invented the first commercially successful dishwasher. She patented the “Cochrane Dishwasher” in 1886, as reported by Smithsonian Magazine. Cochrane, a wealthy woman, desired a machine that could wash dishes faster than her servants could. Following the patent approval for her dishwasher, she marketed the appliance to restaurants and hotels. Subsequently, Cochrane established a company for her dishwashers, which eventually evolved into KitchenAid. Mary Anderson, a native of Alabama, conceived the idea for windshield wipers during a snowy day in New York City in 1902. In the past, drivers had to manually clear their windshields. Anderson’s great-great-niece, Reverend Sara-Scott Wingo, recounted to NPR that Anderson was on a streetcar in New York City that day. Observing the traffic jams caused by snow accumulation on windshields, Anderson began contemplating ideas for a wiper. Anderson was granted a patent for her “window cleaning device” in 1903. In 1965, Stephanie Kwolek developed a synthetic fiber so robust that it was bulletproof. Kwolek’s fiber is resistant to tears
In 1995, Stephanie Kwolek was honored as the fourth woman to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for her groundbreaking work in creating materials ranging from military helmets to racing sails.
Elizabeth Magie developed “The Landlord’s Game” in 1904 to educate players about monopolies and the dangers of unchecked capitalism. The game was later reproduced and sold as “Monopoly,” becoming one of the most iconic board games in history.
Shirley Ann Jackson, a pioneer in telecommunications research, played a key role in the invention of caller ID and call waiting. She made significant contributions during her time at AT&T Bell Laboratories and was later recognized with the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama in 2016.
Gertrude Elion, along with George Hitchings, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1988 for their groundbreaking work in developing drugs to treat diseases like leukemia, herpes, and AIDS. Their research on rational drug design revolutionized the field of pharmaceuticals.
Margaret Knight, a skilled innovator, invented the paper bag in 1868 and successfully defended her patent against Charles Annan in a legal battle. Knight’s inventive spirit also led to the creation of a safety device for cotton mills at a young age.
Lillian Gilbreth, known for her numerous inventions that improved daily life, introduced innovations such as the foot-pedal trash can and shelves inside refrigerator doors. Collaborating with her husband, Frank, Gilbreth also developed industrial management techniques to enhance efficiency in various industries.
The couple had a total of 12 children, two of whom authored a well-known book detailing their family life, titled “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Grace Murray Hopper played a pivotal role in programming the earliest computers, being recognized as one of the first modern programmers. A rear admiral in the US Navy, Hopper is renowned for her groundbreaking contributions to computer languages, particularly for inventing COBOL (“common business-oriented language”) in 1959, which became the most widely utilized computer language globally by the 1970s. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 for her exceptional achievements in the field of computer science.
In the early 1990s, Fiona Wood revolutionized medical treatment for burn victims by developing a spray-on skin solution. Partnering with medical scientist Marie Stoner, Wood introduced ReCell, a technology that allowed for the direct growth of skin tissue on patients, garnering international attention after using it to treat burn victims of the 2002 Bali terrorist attack. Dr. Katharine Burr Blodgett, a pioneering engineer, made significant contributions to surface chemistry, including the invention of non-reflective glass coatings during WWII. Marion Donovan, the inventor of the disposable diaper, faced initial ridicule from the male-dominated manufacturing industry but eventually found success with her waterproof diaper cover made of nylon parachute cloth and plastic snaps.
Marie Van Brittan Brown, a nurse from Queens, New York City, created the first home security system in the 1960s to address the rising crime rates and sluggish police responses in her neighborhood. She and her husband, Albert Brown, received a patent for their security device in 1966. Ruth Wakefield accidentally invented the first chocolate chip cookie in the 1930s while baking at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, after running out of baker’s chocolate.
According to a report by All Recipes, Ruth Wakefield used a semi-sweet Nestlé chocolate bar in a cookie mix, hoping it would blend in when melted. Surprisingly, the chocolate pieces held their shape, leading to the creation of the iconic chocolate chip cookie. Originally named Chocolate Crunch Cookies by Wakefield, the recipe gained fame after being published in a Boston newspaper, as noted by Yankee Magazine. The popularity of the recipe led Nestlé to feature it on their chocolate bar wrappers. Lucy Yang also contributed to an earlier iteration of this article. The full story can be found on Business Insider.
