Visionary Inventors
The first person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences, she pioneered research on radioactivity and discovered polonium and radium.
Who is Marie Curie?
She patented the hand-cranked ice cream maker, revolutionizing homemade ice cream.
Who is Nancy Johnson?
In the 1800s, she predicted that machines could follow a sequence of instructions—making her the world's first computer programmer.
Who is Ada Lovelace?
Love central heating? This inventor’s gas-powered heating system was the blueprint for modern HVAC, keeping homes cozy during those chilly winters.
Who is Alice Parker?
This inventor designed an improved life raft, making maritime travel safer and saving countless lives—including those aboard the Titanic.
Who is Maria Beasley?
Known as the "Sun Queen", she developed the first thermoelectric generator and designed the first solar-heated house.
Who is Maria Telkes?
A mistyped word led this office worker to invent Liquid Paper, making life easier for typists everywhere.
Who is Bette Nesmith Graham?
Without this NASA scientist’s illusion transmitter, 3D imaging wouldn’t be the same.
Who is Valerie Thomas?
This German entrepreneur changed the way the world enjoyed coffee by inventing the first paper coffee filter.
Who is Melitta Bentz?
She patented the first automatic windshield wiper, making driving safer in rain and snow.
Who is Mary Anderson?
This innovator is helping people breathe easier—literally—by developing an AI-powered device to monitor lung function in COPD patients.
Who is Maria Artunduaga?
Before her, programming was a tangled mess of numbers. She created the first compiler, making coding more human-friendly and revolutionizing software development.
Who is Grace Hopper?
This physicist’s groundbreaking research in telecommunications helped develop the touch-tone phone, caller ID, and portable fax machine.
Who is Dr. Shirley Jackson?
A lab accident led this chemist to co-invent Scotchgard, a stain-resistant coating now used to protect fabrics and surfaces.
Who is Patsy Sherman?
Tired of feeling unsafe at home, this inventor created the first home security system in 1966, paving the way for modern surveillance.
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown?
When NASA needed precise calculations to send astronauts to the moon and bring them back safely, they turned to this brilliant mathematician.
Who is Katherine Johnson?
This ophthalmologist invented the laser phaco probe, revolutionizing cataract surgery and restoring vision to many who had been blind for decades.
Who is Dr. Patricia Bath?
This chemist invented Kevlar, a material five times stronger than steel, now used in bulletproof vests, helmets, and aerospace technology.
Who is Stephanie Kwolek?
She co-patented a method for isolating human stem cells, a breakthrough that’s shaping the future of cancer treatments and regenerative medicine.
Who is Ann Tsukamoto?
Living in a cramped space? Thank this 19th-century inventor for designing the first fold-out bed—perfect for making the most of small living spaces.
Who is Sarah E. Goode?