When we hear the word “inventor,” a man probably comes to mind. The majority of the world’s well-known inventors are men, But did you know that some of history’s most amazing inventions were by women? In honor of Women’s History Month, here are seven everyday items that you might not have known were invented by women.
- White-Out
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Many of us have used White-out or liquid paper to fix our mistakes when writing. This commonly used product was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham in 1956. She created this by mixing tempera paint to match the color of her stationery. Graham worked as a typist and used this mixture to fix her typing mistakes without her boss noticing. She later patented this product and started the Mistake Out Company, whose name was later changed to The Liquid Paper Company.
- Brown Paper Bags
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The machine to make flat bottom paper bags, commonly used for Groceries and packed lunches, was invented by Margaret E. Knight in 1871. The machine could cut, fold and glue the paper bags automatically. The machine was able to do the work of thirty people.
- Dishwashers
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This amazing machine that makes the tiresome chore of washing dishes so much easier was invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1886. Though the dishwasher was invented in the 1800s, it was initially sold to businesses. The popularity as a household appliance grew in the 1950s.
- Ironing Boards
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The modern ironing board that we use today was created by Sarah Boone in 1892. Boone received a patent for the improved ironing board from the U.S government, which was now more convenient to iron all types of clothing. The ironing board was previously a board placed in between two supports, but Boone’s ironing board had “hinged and curved ends,” which made it easier to iron long sleeves and curved waists.
- Windshield Wipers
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The invention that helps us safely drive in bad weather was invented by Mary Anderson in 1903. Anderson was initially teased for her invention because people believed they would be distracting to the driver. But by 1913, with cars becoming more and more popular, windshield wipers began to be more appreciated.
- Home Security System
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The first home security system was invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown and her husband, Albert Van Brittan Brown, in 1966. Marie worked as a nurse and was often home alone. The Browns lived in a New York City neighborhood with a high crime rate and a slow police response rate, which inspired them to create this invention for greater security.
- Computer Software
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The first human-friendly computer program language was created by mathematician and US navy admiral, Grace Hopper. Hopper created a tool “that converted English terms into machine code understood by computers.” This language is called COBOL or the common business-oriented language and is still used in computer programming today.