Was This Invention Civilian or Military?

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Was This Invention Civilian or Military?
Image: pederk / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Are you going to "invent" the correct answers?

Virtually all of the modern conveniences that we use in our day-to-day lives were at one point in history nothing more than a thought in the minds of brilliant men and women. Just mere decades ago, many of the things that we take for granted today were thought to be impossible -- from mechanical marvels like computers and jet airplanes to seemingly simple things like canned foods and zippers! However, inventions like these were not always created by civilians or during times of peace. In fact, conflict and war have often fueled the progress of science and technology. 

In this quiz, we've collected a handful of the most notable and also seemingly simple inventions from the past century or so. It is your job to see if you can correctly guess whether they were created by people in the military or by ordinary civilians. A lot of these military inventions have been adopted for commercial use by everyday citizens, so don't be fooled! Let's jump right in and get started! 

1 digital camera GettyImages-618066222 Was digital photography a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Digital photography is a military invention that was first developed in the 1960s. This technology was originally used in spy satellites that were launched by the United States and the Soviet Union.

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2 zipper GettyImages-155351293 Do you know if the zipper was created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The zipper is a civilian invention that was created by Whitcomb L. Judson. It was officially introduced in 1893. The inventor originally intended for it to be primarily used on shoes.

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3 Super Soaker NERF_003 Do you know if the Super Soaker is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Super Soaker was developed and introduced in 1982 by Air Force and NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson. The idea for the toy came to him while he was performing experiments related to thermal energy transfer engines and refrigeration systems.

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4 canned food GettyImages-157643381 Was canned food created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Canned food is a military invention that was created by Nicolas Appert and officially introduced in 1809. He was incentivized to develop the process by the French government, which at the time was fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte offered a reward to anyone who could create an effective method of preserving large amounts of food.

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5 spandex GettyImages-491546030 Was spandex a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spandex is a civilian invention that was developed and introduced in 1959 by Joseph Shivers. It became popular thanks to its being stronger and more durable than rubber.

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6 laser printer GettyImages-AA053791 Do you know if the laser printer was invented by a civilian or a member of the military?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gary Starkweather, a civilian, invented the laser printer while working at Xerox as a researcher. He developed and introduced the technology in 1969.

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7 missile GettyImages-184278654 Do you know if ballistic missiles are a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ballistic missiles are a military invention, first developed and introduced in the 1930s and 1940s by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Today, ballistic missiles have several uses outside the military, such as the launch of satellites (weather, GPS, communication, etc.) and for space exploration.

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8 radarGettyImages-78402613 Was radar created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Radar was first created for Britain's Royal Air Force and introduced in the 1930s. It was intended to be used as a means of air defense and for early warning against air raids.

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9 airbag Suzuki_alto_body2_-_AIMS Was the airbag a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The invention of the airbag is credited to John W. Hetrick, who patented an early airbag design in 1953. He was inspired to create it after his family was involved in an automotive accident.

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10 sliced bread GettyImages-159739048 Do you know if sliced bread was created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sliced bread was created by Otto Frederick Rohwedder in 1928. For short period of time in 1943, the United States tried to impose a ban on sliced bread as part of the resource conservation effort during World War II.

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11 nuclear power GettyImages-824277220 Do you know if nuclear technology is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nuclear technology was developed in the 1940s by the Allied Forces during World War II. While destruction was the original intent, more peaceful benefits, such as nuclear power and nuclear medicine, have arisen as well.

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12 Magnavox-Odyssey-Console-Set Was the first video game console created by the military or a civilian?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The video game console is a civilian invention, created by Ralph H. Baer. His Magnavox Odyssey was introduced in 1972. Compared with the modern consoles that are a part of a billion-dollar industry today, the Magnavox Odyssey was extremely simple.

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13 jerrycan GettyImages-93541664 Was the jerrycan a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The jerrycan was designed by Vinzenz Grünvogel and developed in Germany in 1937. It was widely used by German forces during World War II, and the design was recreated by the Allied Forces.

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14 aviator sunglasses GettyImages-171137358 Were aviator sunglasses created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aviator sunglasses were created by Bausch & Lomb in 1936. While they are a popular fashion item today, they were originally intended to be used by pilots.

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15 home security GettyImages-107908210 Do you know if the first modern home security system is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The home security system is a civilian invention that was developed in 1966 by Marie Van Brittan Brown. To this day, her patent is still being cited by other inventors and innovators.

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16 jetpack Ricky_Relentless_WaterSports Was the jetpack created for the military or civilians?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The United States military first started researching jetpack technology in the 1950s. While jetpacks haven’t had much practical use on Earth so far, the astronaut propulsion unit is a similar device that is useful for spacewalks.

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17 Popcorn_bag_popped Was microwave popcorn a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

General Mills patented the first microwave popcorn bag in 1981. However, making popcorn on stovetops had already been widely done since the 19th century.

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18 jet engine GettyImages-172237273 Do you know if the jet engine was invented through military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The turbojet was patented by Royal Air Force cade Frank Whittle in 1932. Originally designed for use in military aircraft, jet engines are widely used in airliners today.

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19 kevlar GettyImages-89696919 Do you know if kevlar is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kevlar was invented in 1965 by chemist Stephanie Kwolek. Today, this super-strength materials most widely known for its protective capabilities and its use by military and law enforcement, but it was actually first used as a replacement for steel in racing tires.

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20 night vision Was night vision created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Night vision technology was first used and developed by the military during World War II. Today, it is also readily available for civilian use for surveillance and low-light photography.

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21 jeep GettyImages-157287957 Was the Jeep a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The iconic Jeep was first produced in 1941 for the U.S. Army and Allied forces. It served as a military utility vehicle in World War II and was the first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car in the world.

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22 post it GettyImages-111513028 Do you know if the Post-it note was created for the military or for civilians?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Arthur Fry came up with the idea for Post-it notes in 1974, but the product didn't hit the public until 1980. Post-it notes owe their success to a reusable adhesive material developed by Spencer Silver in 1968.

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23 epipen GettyImages-186883957 Do you know if the autoinjector is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The autoinjector is a military invention that was developed as a means protection against chemical warfare. Today, EpiPens (epinephrine autoinjectors) are widely used as an emergency treatment for anaphylactic reaction.

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24 laptop GettyImages-182187328 Was the electronic digital computer created under military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Electronic digital computers were developed through the first half of the 20th century primarily for military purposes. Compared to the handheld computers that we have today, these early devices were absolutely massive.

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25 barcode GettyImages-182411286 Was the barcode a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The barcode was developed and introduced in 1952 by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver. For several years, the invention did not experience any critical success; however, popularity skyrocketed when they began to be utilized in store checkout systems.

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26 drone GettyImages-628335852 Do you know if drones were first created for military or civilian use?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) were originally developed for the military, and the military's use of this technology has stayed strong. But drones are also used by civilians for filmmaking, recreation and surveillance.

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27 Super_glue Do you know if superglue is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Superglue was invented in 1942 by Harry Coover Jr. It was an accidental discovery that came about while he and his team were searching for materials to create clear plastic gun sights.

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28 firewall GettyImages-1039289924 Was the firewall created through military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The firewall is a civilian invention. The first generation of firewall technology was developed by William Cheswick and Steven Bellovin in 1988 while working at AT&T Bell Labs.

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29 walkietalkie GettyImages-86486857 Was the walkie-talkie a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The walkie-talkie was created as a communication tool for infantry during World War II. Today, they are used widely by civilians for business, recreation and safety.

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30 calculator GettyImages-182752017 Was the handheld electronic calculator created for military or civilian use?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first handheld electronic calculator was invented in 1967 by a development team at Texas Instruments. This early machine could do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

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31 lint rollers Is the lint roller a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The lint roller was invented in 1956 by Nicholas McKay and his wife, Helen. He came up with the concept after he had used masking tape and a paper roll to clean his suit before chaperoning his son's high school dance.

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32 pad GettyImages-656149434 Was the sanitary napkin created through military or civilian inspiration?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The modern sanitary napkin evolved from an early invention by Benjamin Franklin. His disposable pads were meant to stop wounded soldiers from bleeding out.

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33 ziplock GettyImages-83976172 Was the zipper storage bag a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The zipper storage bag was patented by Robert W. Vergobbi in 1954. Today they are widely used to keep food fresh, but this function wasn’t popularized until 1957, when fifth-grader Robert Lejeune demonstrated the product's food-storage capabilities as part of a science project.

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34 tupperware GettyImages-857989468 Do you know if Tupperware was created by the military or by a civilian?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tupperware was introduced by Earl Silas Tupper in 1946. The product's early success is largely due to the Tupperware parties that Brownie Wise, a Florida housewife, would organize.

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35 blood storage GettyImages-78616975 Do you know if mass blood storage is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dr. Charles R. Drew started the first large-scale blood banks during World War II. Charles Drew is also notable for having protested racial segregation in the donation of blood, since there was no scientific foundation for the practice to stand on.

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36 GPS GettyImages-87340574 Was GPS first created for military or civilian use?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Global Positioning System, or GPS, was launched in 1973. While it has a wide variety of civilian uses, GPS is actually owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force.

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37 duct tape GettyImages-157315704 Was duct tape a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Duct tape is a military invention that came on the scene in 1942. It was originally used during World War II to seal ammunition cases and repair military equipment, and its usefulness has only grown since then.

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38 Envase_WD-40 Do you know if WD-40 was created by a military or civilian inventor?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The WD-40 formula was developed by the Rocket Chemical Company in 1953. It is widely used in mechanical repair and assembly to protect against rust and corrosion.

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39 wristwatch GettyImages-157188129 Do you know if the wristwatch is a civilian or military invention?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the pocket watch had long been a popular accessory, the wristwatch only came into use during World War I, in the early 20th century. Soldiers used them to synchronize maneuvers without alerting the enemy to their plans.

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40 marker pens GettyImages-74583501 Was the marker pen created through military or civilian influence?
Civilian
Military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sidney Rosenthal's 1953 marker pen design consisted of a glass tube of ink with a felt wick. This design developed into the beloved "Magic Marker" used by kids (and adults) around the world today.

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