International Women’s Day is celebrated March 8 every in honour of women. It’s a day set aside to provoke progressive discussions on the status and role of women in the society.
The 2017 theme for International Women’s Day focuses on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”.
As we celebrate women today, let us take a leap back into the history and relive some of the world’s major and groundbreaking inventions made by women:
1. CCTV
This is fully referred to as Closed-Circuit Television or video surveillance. It uses video cameras to send signals to designated monitors in a specific confinement. It is mainly used for security purposes, traffic monitoring, employees monitoring. This very important invention was developed by Marie Van Brittan Brown. It was patented in 1969.
2. The fire escape
A fire escape, as the name implies, is a special emergency exit. It is commonly placed outside of a building to provide an escape route in case there is an emergency situation (fire or other forms) and the makes the staircases in the building are not usable.
This safety machine was invented in 1887 by Anna Connelly.
3. Life raft
This is a small inflatable rubber boat typically used for an emergency at sea. It was invented in 1882 by Maria Beasley.
4. Windscreen wiper
This device is used for cleaning the windscreen; to take out rain drops, snow, wreckages, etc. from the windscreen of cars, trucks, etc. Windscreen wiper was invented in 1903 by Mary Anderson.
5. Medical syringe
A medical syringe is a device used for fluid injection or withdrawal into/from the body. In 1899, Letitia Geer invented a medical syringe that could be handled with only one hand.
6. The computer algorithm
This special computing program was developed by Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous Lord Byron.
7. Modern electric refrigerator
The refrigerator is, undoubtedly, one of the most useful home appliances today. The modern electric refrigerator was invented by Florence Parpart in 1914.
8. Kevlar®
Stephanie Kwolek is the inventor of Kevlar®. Kevlar is the main ingredient used in the production of bulletproof vests. It is also used in the production of other products such as safety helmets, suspension bridge cables, etc.
9. Dishwasher
The first dishwasher was invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1886.
10. The ice-cream maker
Nancy Johnson invented the ice cream maker in 1843. Interestingly, Nancy Johnson’s ice-cream making machine is still being used till today.
