Who Made It? The Inventions Quiz

Thomas Edison didn't create the first light bulb, but he was the first to use a carbonized bamboo filament to make a light bulb that was practical for the masses.

Alexander Graham Bell uttered these words when testing his invention, the telephone, in 1876.

Eli Whitney's cotton gin revolutionized the process of separating seeds from cotton fiber. Whitney later made significant improvements to manufacturing while working for the government.

The Wright brothers flew four successful flights with their powered airplane at Kitty Hawk in 1903.

German Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press around 1450, making books available to the masses for the first time in history.

Willis Carrier introduced the air conditioner at the 1904 World's Fair, where it was used to cool a 1,000-seat auditorium.

Oppenheimer was the physicist who headed up the Manhattan Project.

It was Samuel Morse who invented both the telegraph and Morse code in the 1830s and '40s. By 1866, a telegraph cable stretched across the Atlantic.

Cristofori came up with his pianoforte in 1700, and before long, the instrument could be found 'round the world.

Marconi invented radio in the late 19th century. In 1909 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his invention.

While Henry Ford made the Model T for the masses, Karl Benz made the first automobile in 1885.

The daguerreotype — introduced by Louis Daguerre — allowed people to take a photo in minutes rather than hours.

While Watt didn't invent the steam engine, his improvements made the engine vastly more efficient, which helped to spur the Industrial Revolution.

Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web in 1999, which made the Internet widely accessible and practical for the masses. Contrary to popular belief, Al Gore never actually claimed to be the inventor of the Internet.

While Edison pushed for the use of direct current, Tesla's safer and more efficient alternating current eventually won and became the primary technology used in homes.

Philo T. Farnsworth brought the world the first all-electric television in 1938 and went on to work in nuclear fusion.

Leo Baekeland introduced Bakelite in 1909 and eventually filed 400 patents related to his invention.

While working for Raytheon, engineer Percy Spencer accidentally came up with the idea for a microwave after a candy bar melted in his pocket.

Bette Nesmith Graham, mother of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees, invented liquid paper in 1957. She later sold the product to Gillette for more than $40 million.

Charles Babbage created the first personal computer way back in the 1830s and is known today as the father of computing.

Sir Robert Watson-Watt picked up a patent for his radar system in 1935. His invention later played a major role in World War II.

Gordon Gould invented and named the laser, which stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation."

Joseph Aspdin revolutionized construction when he mixed limestone and clay to create Portland cement in 1824.

Sir Alexander Fleming came up with penicillin in 1929 after seeing mold growing on bread.

Scottish physicist William Cullen developed the first refrigeration system in the 1800s, but it took another century for the appliance to gain widespread use.

Laszlo Biro came up with the ballpoint pen. Unlike other pens used at the time, it dried instantly and could write for months without refilling.

Sir John Harrington of England first came up with the idea of a flushable toilet, but it took work by Crapper and Cumming to bring the invention to the masses.

Hans Lippershey patented the first telescope in 1608. Galileo may not have invented the device, but he was the first person to use the telescope to explore the sky.

Nevada tailor Jacob Davis created the first jeans in 1871. He asked local store owner Levi Strauss to be his partner when filing for his patent.

While gum has been around since 1870, Diemer created the first bubble gum in 1928. Wondering why he chose pink to color his concoction? It was the only color food dye he had on hand at the time.