The Submarine

Although predating the 20th century, submarines as we know them today came into being during the 20th century. With development of nuclear power, a submarine’s range and endurance become nearly unlimited effectively rendering all previous forms of naval warfare obsolete.

Source: http://www.relativityonline.com/home/top-ten-inventions-of-the-20th-century/

Antibiotics

Until Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, almost any little bug that someone picked up was potentially fatal. Once penicillin—and later a whole range of other antibiotics—came on the scene, however, death due to bacterial infection became rare, resulting in a greatly reduced mortality rate and much longer life-span. It also rendered many scourges of the past—from small pox and typhoid to gonorrhea and syphilis—obsolete or, at least in the case of venereal disease, something easily treatable.

Source: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-inventions-of-the-20th-century.php

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a fascinating technology. The microscopically small, self-replicating machines capable of puncturing the walls of a single human cell may well be a reality a few decades from now. As a next big step in human evolution, their ability to effect repairs on the human body on a microscopic level as well as repair or enhance other non-organic technologies.

Source: http://top10everythingz.blogspot.com/2012/11/top-10-inventions-of-21st-century.html

Hypersonic Transportation

The airplane revolutionized travel in the twentieth century. There is no reason to believe that evolution to ever faster speeds is going to end anytime soon. In the future people will be able to fly between London and Tokyo at Mach 10 speeds and arrive at their destination in just over two hours. Today’s train can go up to 700 miles per hour. Technology has bring many new and more fast ways of travel for human.

Source: http://top10everythingz.blogspot.com/2012/11/top-10-inventions-of-21st-century.html

AbioCor Artificial Heart

The AbioCor artificial heart was initially implanted into a patient in 2001. It is the first device that is completely self-contained and doesn’t require external wires or tubes. The device is powered by an internal battery that is recharged through a transcutaneous energy transmission process. Although the original version was somewhat limited in terms of operational use, the second generation product is expected to last up to five years. The ultimate goal is to develop an artificial heart that has a design life that will far outlast the recipient.

Next time somebody tells you ” You just broke my heart” tell them there is no need to worry because Abiocor has them covered. Abiocor is one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century because it has just increased the life span of patients with an irreparable damaged heart or heart failure. How? They’ve invented a fully functional heart that mimics the function of the native heart.



Source: http://bizzvenue.com/jaw-dropping-inventions-21st-century/

Cars Powered by Hydrogen

This is the most important invention of the century: people around the world dreamed about hydrogen powered cars, and they can also change completely the pollution level on our planet. These cars can function with hydrogen as fuel. It happens in the combustion chamber, and as a result, it has only a puff of water vapor. The only problem with this car is that it can be a little bit costly for everyday use.

Source: http://mixtopten.com/top-10-important-inventions-of-21st-century/

Mechanical Pencil

The mechanical pencil was invented in 1915 by Tokuji Hayakawa (November 3, 1894-June 24, 1980). His first mechanical pencil was called the "Ever-Ready Sharp Pencil." Hayakawa had owned a metalworking shop in Tokyo, Japan, and in 1942, expanded his company and renamed it the Hayakawa Electric Industry Co.,Ltd. It was later called the Sharp Corporation (1970), and Hayakawa was appointed chairman.

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1900a.shtml

Radar

The first practical radar system was invented in 1935 by the Scotish physicist Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (April 13, 1892-December 5, 1973). He developed radar to help track storms in order to keep aircraft safe. His invention eventually helped the allies win World War 2 against the Germans.

Radar is short for RAdio Detection And Ranging. Radar is used to locate distant objects by sending out radio waves and analyzing the echos that return. Radar can determine where a distant object is, how big it is, what shape it has, how fast it's moving and in which direction it's going. Radar is now used to watch developing weather patterns, to monitor air traffic, to track ships at sea, and to detect missiles.

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1900a.shtml

Windshield Wiper

The windshield wiper was invented by Mary Anderson in 1903 to help streetcars operate safely in the rain. In 1905 she patented her invention, which allowed the car operator to control the external, swinging arm wipers from within the car. Windshield wipers became standard equipment on cars a decade later. Anderson was from Alabama, USA.

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1900a.shtml

Spray Can

The forerunner of the aerosol can was invented by Erik Rotheim of Norway. On November 23, 1927, Rotheim patented a can with a valve and propellant systems - it could hold and dispense liquids.

The first aerosol can (a can than contains a propellant [a liquefied gas like flurocarbon] and has a spray nozzle) was invented in 1944 by Lyle David Goodloe and W.N. Sullivan. They were working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and were trying to find a way to spray and kill malaria carrying mosquitos during World War II for the soldiers overseas. The "clog-free" spray valve was invented by Robert H. Abplanal in 1953.

The first spray paint was invented by Edward H. Seymour in 1949. Seymour's wife Bonnie had given him the idea of an aerosol applicator for paint. The first spray paint he developed was aluminum colored. Seymour formed the company, Seymour of Sycamore, Inc. of Chicago, USA, which is still in operation.

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1900a.shtml

Adhesive Tape

Richard G. Drew (1899-1980) invented masking tape and clear adhesive tape (also called cellophane tape or Scotch tape). Drew was an engineer for the 3M company (the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing).

Drew's first tape invention was a masking tape made for painters in 1923 (this tape was designed to help painters paint a straight border between two colors). This early masking tape was a wide paper tape with adhesive on only the edges of the tape - not in the middle. Drew made an improved tape called Scotch (TM) Brand Cellulose Tape in 1930. This tape was a clear, all-purpose adhesive tape that was soon adopted worldwide. The first tape dispenser with a built-in cutting edge was invented in 1932 by John A. Borden, another 3M 

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/1900a.shtml

Laser, 1960

As with a lot of inventions, the laser didn't spring out of nowhere but was the result of a series of steps based on sound theory. Theodore H. Maiman made the first laser that worked at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California in 1960, beating some other researchers to the punch. They knew they had something with this laser, but didn't know what the hell kind of problems they were going to solve with it. Today it's used in everything from DVD players, to check out counters, to corrective eye surgery, to precision guided munitions. Sweet.

 Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Rubik's Cube, 1974

Erno Rubik created a monster. Ever since I got my Rubik's Cube when I was a kid in 1984, I've never been able to solve this thing. Ever. Even when I peeled off the stickers. To this day whenever I see one I impulsively pick it up and go through the motions, but my brain hurts.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Microwave Oven, 1945

This common kitchen appliance was discovered by accident. Working at Raytheon, Percy Spencer noticed a peanut chocolate bar he had in his pocket started to melt while he was working on an active radar set. It was the microwaves from the radar, not pocket pool,that caused the gooey mess. He then deliberately cooked popcorn, then an egg. Spencer then isolated the microwaves by feeding them into a metal box, rapidly heating the food placed in it. After Raytheon filed a U.S. patent it had the first microwave oven built in 1947. It was 6 feet (1.8m) tall, weighed 750 lbs (340 kg) cost about $5,000.00, and consumed 3000 watts (compared today's standard 1000 watt) Thankfully, today they are a tad smaller and a wee bit more economical. Because of the microwave, ordinary non-scientific types can now generate the heat of the sun's core with the apple cobbler in a Swanson's TV dinner.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Parachute, 1913

With the invention of the plane it is only natural to invent the parachute. Although the idea of the parachute has been around since the 15^thcentury, Slovakian inventor Stefan Banic is credited with the invention of the first one widely used by the military. He donated the U.S. patent to the U.S. Army and received little fame or fortune for it. The parachute was used extensively during World War I. Today it continues to be used in military and civilian aircraft as well as by thrill seeking skydivers.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Disposable Razor Blades, 1909

Invented by King Camp Gillette (the best a man can get) as an inexpensive alternative to using a straight razor. The straight razor was like going to your kitchen and taking a chef's knife to your face. Instead of paying two bits for a shave and a haircut, men could save one bit and just get the haircut, likely parted down the middle.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Blu-ray Players

Blu-ray is a storage medium for optical discs that is used primarily for high definition video. Blu-ray was commercially introduced in 2006 and uses a blue laser to read or write data to a disc. Blue lasers use a smaller profile wavelength than traditional red laser DVDs. The development and proliferation of Blu-ray has helped high definition video displays realize their full potential.

Source: http://www.brighthub.com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/86314.aspx

Solar Shingles (2005)

Solar Shingles, also called photovoltaic shingles, are solar panels or solar modules designed to look like and function as conventional slate or asphalt shingle roofing materials.

There are several varieties of solar shingles, including shingle-sized solid panels that take the place of a number of conventional shingles in a strip, semi-rigid designs containing several silicon solar cells that are sized more like conventional shingles, and newer systems using various thin film solar cell technologies that match conventional shingles both in size and flexibility.

Solar shingles are manufactured by several companies but the two main manufacturers of solar roof shingles are Dow and CertainTeed.

Commercial solar shingles were first available in 2005. In a 2009 interview with Reuters, a spokesperson for the Dow Chemical Company estimated that their entry into the solar shingle market would generate $5 billion in revenue by 2015 and $10 billion by 2020. The first location the Dow solar shingles became available was in Colorado, in October 2011.

Solar shingles are photovoltaic modules, capturing sunlight and transforming it into electricity. Most solar shingles are 12 by 86 inches (300 by 2,180 mm) and can be stapled directly to the roofing cloth. When applied they have a 5 by 86 inches (130 by 2,180 mm) strip of exposed surface. Different models of shingles have different mounting requirements. Some can be applied directly onto roofing felt intermixed with regular asphalt shingles while others may need special installation.

Solar shingled roofs have a deep, dark, purplish-blue color, and therefore look similar to other roofs in most situations. Homeowners may prefer solar shingles because they avoid having large panels on their roofs.

source: http://www.brighthub.com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/86314.aspx

iPhone (June of 2007)

The iPhone from Apple Inc was released in June of 2007 and radically altered the way mobile phones are used personally and in business.

Older phones typically included voice communications and sometimes a keyboard to send text messages. Phones that offered internet access were usually unreadable and difficult to maneuver. The iPhone introduced the multi-touch interface that allows for quick and easy access to data, music, and pictures while providing storage for other important information. The seamless integration of touch screen features allowed the internet to be used in meaningful ways.

Not much needs to be said about apple and their inventions during the 21st century. From the ipod, to iPad and iTunes to name a few – apple has changed the way we use technology to communicate, listen to music, consume information and much more.

The first on the list, the iPod, actually started up as a business idea of an independent inventor: Tony Fadell. His vision was to take an mp3 player and build a music sale service such as Napster to work with it. He wanted to build a company around it. However, Apple hired Fadell in 2001, gave him a team of 30 designers, hardware engineers and programmers and the rest his history – The iPod and iTunes store were born.

The iPhone concept actually originated as early as in 2000, despite the fact that the final product was launched only in 2007.

A worker of Apple, John Casey, sent his colleagues drawings of a concept idea he termed the Telipod - a combination of a telephone and an iPod. That original idea went through several stages of evolution, with the touch screen being added by Steve Jobs itself, before we were all introduced to the famous iPhone.

Source: http://www.brighthub.com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/86314.aspx 

Robotics

Robots have been around since the twentieth century in one form or another, but it won’t be until the twenty-first century that they will become truly common and useful. Performing everything from fire-fighting to carpentry, by the end of the century every house will have at least one robot programmed to perform any number of tedious or dangerous chores humans would rather not deal with, and they will be perfect to leave at home to walk the dog (heck, your dog might even be a robot) and keep an eye on the house when you’re away. Their military applications are even more promising, with robots being used to clear mine fields and otherwise perform missions deemed too dangerous for their human counterparts. How smart will they be? Only as smart as you want them to be; they’ll still be dependent upon human beings for their programming and maintenance after all, so don’t look for them taking over the world just yet.

Source: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-inventions-of-the-21st-century.php

Web Inventions and Sites

The 21st century is most definitely (among other things) the century that changed the way we use the web. Youtube, Google maps street view, social networking and Facebook are just some of the websites and technologies that are today an inseparable part of our lives, and didn’t exist 14 years ago.

YouTube was invented in 2005 by 3 partners Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, and revolutionized the way we consume and share videos.  Google maps street view which in 2007 launched with 360 panoramic images of NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and many other cities and changed the way we navigate or look for addresses.

Social networking,  which is these days is an inseparable part of our daily lives and Facebook, its epitome, started in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room at Harvard.

Along with many other websites and brands they were all invented in the 21st century.

Source: http://www.inventions-handbook.com/21st-century-inventions.html

Bluetooth Technology (2002)

The Bluetooth technology was introduced to the market first in 2002. It was dubbed the first low energy peer to peer wireless technology, and was developed by a consortium of electronics manufactures, with the aim of connecting several digital devices over short distances.  The concept was first born in an Ericsson lab in Sweden in the 1990’s and went on to revolutionize wireless connection.

The beauty of the technology when it was just launched was that for the first time it has connected devices from different industries, introduced new possibilities for device development and changed consumers behaviors.

The first devices to hit the market were Bluetooth earpieces used to connect with our cell phones. Today, the technology dominates almost any consumer electronic device, fitness and sports devices, and others in the fields of smart homes, cars, medical and health.

A recent research report predicted 2 billion Bluetooth enabled unites will be shipped in 2013 alone.

Source: http://www.inventions-handbook.com/21st-century-inventions.html

Google's Driverless Car

A driverless Toyota Prius equipped with radar sensors, video cameras, as well as laser range finder, has been launched by Google. The world's first driverless vehicle traveled 140,000 miles without any issues during its trip.

The new technology is a step towards the development of a safe driverless transportation system on city streets. The first steps in the creation of such systems were made in the military field, but Google was the first to come up with a system that allows a vehicle to drive along busy city streets. The main goal of the Silicon Valley-based company is to create a safer and more efficient transportation system that would reduce the number of car accidents.

Source: http://www.infoniac.com/hi-tech/top-10-most-important-inventions-of-the-21st-century-in-technology.html

Air conditioner

The basic concept behind air conditioning is said to have been applied in ancient Egypt, where reeds were hung in windows and were moistened with trickling water. The evaporation of water cooled the air blowing through the window. This process also made the air more humid, which can be beneficial in a dry desert climate. In Ancient Rome, water from aqueducts was circulated through the walls of certain houses to cool them. Other techniques in medieval Persia involved the use of cisterns and wind towers to cool buildings during the hot season.^[3]

Modern air conditioning emerged from advances in chemistry during the 19th century, and the first large-scale electrical air conditioning was invented and used in 1902 byAmerican inventor Willis Carrier. The introduction of residential air conditioning in the 1920s helped enable the great migration to the Sun Belt in the United States.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_conditioning

Microscope

The first microscope to be developed was the optical microscope, although the original inventor is not easy to identify. Evidence points to the first compound microscope appearing in the Netherlands in the late 1590s, probably an invention of eyeglass makers there:^[3] Hans Lippershey (who developed an early telescope) and Zacharias Janssen (also claimed as the inventor of the telescope). There are other claims that the microscope and the telescope were invented by Roger Bacon in the 1200s,^[4] but this is not substantiated. Giovanni Fabercoined the name microscope for Galileo Galilei's compound microscope in 1625 ^[5] (Galileo had called it the "occhiolino" or "little eye").

There are many types of microscopes. The most common (and the first to be invented) is the optical microscope, which uses light to image the sample. Other major types of microscopes are the electron microscope (both the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope), the ultramicroscope, and the various types of scanning probe microscope.

On October 8, 2014, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Eric Betzig, William Moerner and Stefan Hell for "the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy," which brings "optical microscopy into the nanodimension".^[1][2]

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Microscope

             http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Anton_van_Leeuwenhoek

The First Mac (24 Jan 1984)

The Macintosh computer was released in January of 1984, with 128K RAM of memory. It quickly became obvious that this was insufficient, so eight months later Apple released an updated version, un-officially referred to as the 'Fat Mac'. It has 512K RAM, four times as much. 

Before the Macintosh, all computers were 'text-based' - you operated them by typing words onto the keyboard. The Macintosh is run by activating pictures (icons) on the screen with a small hand-operated device called a "mouse". Most modern-day computers now operate on this principle, including modern Apple computers and most others which run the Microsoft Windows operating system. 

The Macintosh has no room for internal expansion options - no other cards or devices can be installed, nor can the graphics capabilities be upgraded. Actually, it takes special tools just to get the case open. 

Although adequate for desktop publishing, many found the 9" (diagonal) black & white screen rather small and limiting. The uniqueness of its GUI operating system probably saved the Macintosh from obscurity like so many others. 

source: http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/top-10-technology-inventions-from-1900-present-day

First Cell Phone (3 Apr 1973)

1973: Martin Cooper of Motorola uses the first portable handset ... to make the first cellphone call ... to his rival at Bell Labs. Rub it in.

If you wanted to make a mobile-phone call in those days, you might have a radiophone in your car. You'd need to spend thousands of dollars, stash about 30 pounds of equipment in your trunk and install a special antenna.

Bell Laboratories (then the research division of AT&T and now part of Alcatel-Lucent) had conceptualized cellular communications in 1947. But it was locked in a competition with Motorola in the '60s and '70s to go truly portable.

At Motorola, Cooper and designer Rudy Krolopp worked on the "shoe" phone, using many of the company's existing electronics patents. They produced the Motorola DynaTAC (for DYNamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage): 9 inches tall, 2½ pounds, with 30 circuit boards. You could talk for 35 minutes, and it took 10 hours to recharge.

Cooper set up a cellular base station in New York and made his first call to Joel Engel, Bell Labs' research chief. Ouch.

Cooper recalls: "I made numerous calls, including one where I crossed the street while talking to a New York radio reporter -- probably one of the more dangerous things I have ever done in my life."

Motorola spent another 10 years to get the cellphone over technological and regulatory hurdles. Commercial service started in 1983, with a slimmed-down, 16-ounce DynaTAC. First adopters paid $3,500 for the phone ($7,400 in today's money). It was 1990 before cellphone service reached a million U.S. subscribers.

The world's lightest cellphone is now the Modu at just 1.41 ounces. The world's cheapest are free, if you sign a two-year service plan.

Source: http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/top-10-technology-inventions-from-1900-present-day 

Ford Model T Car (12 Aug 1908)

The Model T, also known as the “Tin Lizzie,” changed the way Americans live, work and travel. Henry Ford’s revolutionary advancements in assembly-line automobile manufacturing made the Model T the first car to be affordable for a majority of Americans. For the first time car ownership became a reality for average American workers, not just the wealthy. More than 15 million Model Ts were built in Detroit and Highland Park, Michigan, and the automobile was also assembled at a Ford plant in Manchester, England, and at plants in continental Europe.The Model T was an automobile built by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 until 1927. Conceived by Henry Ford as practical, affordable transportation for the common man, it quickly became prized for its low cost, durability, versatility, and ease of maintenance. Assembly-line production allowed the price of the touring car version to be lowered from $850 in 1908 to less than $300 in 1925. At such prices the Model T at times comprised as much as 40 percent of all cars sold in the United States. Even before it lost favour to larger, more powerful, and more luxurious cars, the Model T, known popularly as the “Tin Lizzie” or the “flivver,” had become an American folkloric symbol, essentially realizing Ford’s goal to “democratize the automobile.”The Model T was offered in several body styles, including a five-seat touring car, a two-seat runabout, and a seven-seat town car. All bodies were mounted on a uniform 100-inch-wheelbase chassis. A choice of colors was originally available, but from 1913 to 1925 the car was mass-produced in only one color—black. The engine was simple and efficient, with all four cylinders cast in a single block and the cylinder head detachable for easy access and repair. The engine generated 20 horsepower and propelled the car to modest top speeds of 40–45 miles per hour (65–70 km/h). In most models the engine was started by a hand crank, which activated a magneto connected to the flywheel, but after 1920 some models were equipped with battery-powered starters. The transmission, consisting of two forward gears and one reverse, was of the planetary type, controlled by foot pedals rather than the more common hand lever used in sliding-gear transmissions. Spark and throttle were controlled by a hand lever on the steering column. The 10-gallon fuel tank was located under the front seat. Because gasoline was fed to the engine only by gravity, and also because the reverse gear offered more power than the forward gears, the Model T frequently had to be driven up a steep hill backward. Such deficiencies, along with its homely appearance, less-than-comfortable ride at top speeds, and incessant rattling, made the Model T the butt of much affectionate humour in innumerable jokes, songs, poems, and stories.

source: http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/top-10-technology-inventions-from-1900-present-day

The First Airplane (1 Jan 1903)

The first successful airplane-- 1903 marks the year that Wright brothers invented the first successful airplane.
Buoyant over the success of their 1902 glider, the Wright brothers were no longer content to merely add to the growing body of aeronautical knowledge; they were going to invent the airplane. Still, they recognized that much hard work lay ahead, especially the creation of a propulsion system. During the spring and summer of 1903, they were consumed with leaping that final hurdle into history. 

On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk with their first powered aircraft. The Wright brothers had invented the first successful airplane.

source: http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/top-10-technology-inventions-from-1900-present-day

Powered, Controlled Airplane

Orville and Wilbur Wright didn't invent the first airplane, but applied the principles of jumping before flying. Through a lot of trial and error, building their own wind tunnel, and testing 200 wing designs they were finally able to fly their prototype 121 ft (37m) in 12 seconds. The design was further improved with regards to safety, power, and control to the point in October of 1905 when the aircraft could maintain a sustainable flight and land with pilot safe and the craft undamaged. Today we see the airplane's influence in aeronautical engineering, transportation, and warfare. It was only a matter of time before the Mile High Club was invented.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Video Game Console

Although the earliest known "electronic interactive game" was in existence as early as 1948, the Magnavox Odyssey invented by Ralph Baer was the first commercially available video game console. (He also invented the light gun and the 80's game sensation Simon) The Odyssey and its successors ushered in the multibillion dollar video game industry; it makes more money than the movie industry. Definitely influential and definitely not kid's stuff anymore.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Ballpoint Pen

Hungarian inventor Lazlo Biro created this eventual replacement for the fountain pen. Though not as fancy or expressive as a fountain pen, ballpoints are cheap, reliable, and maintenance free. The ink dries after contact with paper almost immediately. With fountain pens where you have to refill the ink (way too much work), ballpoint pens are easily replaced. Ever trying writing with a fountain pen? They are for cursive writers only. All this typing has killed my penmanship anyway.
Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Vacuum Cleaner

Here's how inventor H. Cecil Booth came up with the idea. He noticed a device on trains that blew dust off chairs and thought it would be better to have a device that sucked the dust instead. To test his idea he laid a handkerchief on a chair, put his mouth on it and sucked as much dust as he could. Seeing the amount of dust and dirt on the underside of the hanky effectively made it the first vacuum cleaner filter and realized the idea could work. It's a good thing he wasn't looking to invent a machine that cleans manure.

Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

LCD (1970)

An LCD or liquid crystal display is a type of flat panel display commonly used in digital devices, for example: digital clocks, appliance displays, and portable computers.

How an LCD Works

According to a PC world article, liquid crystals are liquid chemicals whose molecules can be aligned precisely when subjected to electrical fields, much in the way metal shavings line up in the field of a magnet. When properly aligned, the liquid crystals allow light to pass through.

A simple monochrome LCD display has two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal solution sandwiched between them.

Source: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/inventions-and-discoveries-of-the-twentieth-century/inventions-1900-to-1990/

Compact Disc, 1980

Electronics giants Sony and Phillips joined forces to design a digital audio disc as a spin-off from those cumbersome and expensive Laserdiscs. The CD was commercially available in 1982. As costs of development for CD's and CD players became lower it became the primary format for music. Although MP3's are quickly replacing CDs as the primary media for music today, CD technology is still used in CD-ROMs, DVDs, and Blu Ray. I can't imagine physically rewinding or fast forwarding anything anymore
.
Source: http://gilbertm.hubpages.com/hub/inventions20century

Rocketry

While the rocket was first invented and used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago—and used occasionally by the Greeks and Romans since —it wasn’t until the twentieth century that it came into its own and became more than just a dazzling amusement or a largely harmless but still effective “terror weapon” for ancient armies. In the twentieth century, rockets became bigger and more powerful. Most importantly, they became controllable, which suddenly made them useful both as weapons of war and, even more vitally, as our means of accessing outer space. Without the rocket, it is safe to say we would not only have never gone to the moon or visited every planet in our solar system. Rockets also place satellites into orbit around our planet, so without them we also wouldn’t be able to use GPS, predict the weather, make international calls or, for the most part, even use our cell phones much of the time.
Source:http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-inventions-of-the-20th-century.php

Radio

Few people today can appreciate the impact the advent of radio had on the twentieth century. Not only did it suddenly make it possible for a person to be heard from hundreds or even thousands of miles away without the use of a wire (quite an accomplishment in the first years of the century) but it was the center of family life through the end of the Second World War and into the doldrums of the fifties, when it was gradually replaced by that new-fangled contraption, the television. Today, it seems to only be useful in the car as a means of keeping the driver from falling asleep behind the wheel or as a tool of talk radio designed to rile the masses. In its day, however, it was every bit as vital to existence as the television, the computer, the microwave, and the cell phone are to us today.

Source:  

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-inventions-of-the-20th-century.php

The Internet

The computer rendered the typewriter obsolete and made writing in long-hand a thing of the past, but it took the internet to truly turn the computer into the monster it is today. While the airplane shrank our planet to the point that one could fly from New York to London in six hours, the internet made it possible to be there in a few seconds. It allows truth to make it into and out of repressive countries, it foments revolutions, and spreads lies at the speed of light. It also gives anyone the ability to buy and sell almost anything imaginable, find and torment old school mates, watch the latest you-tube videos, and even find their perfect life partner, all for a few bucks a month. Oh, and you can also get useful information off it if you don’t mind scrolling through 15,000 hits to find out just how long snails really live. Where would we be without it?

Source:

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-inventions-of-the-20th-century.php

Nintendo Wii (2006)

This video game console was launched by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. Its main competitors are Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.

However, the Wii has one distinguishing feature from Xbox and PS3 - users can play video games by making use of special wireless controller called the Wii Remote. The latter detects the user's movements in 3D.

In December 2009 the console managed to break the record for best-selling gaming console in one month in the US. As of May 2011, Nintendo's device is the leading console in sales around the world, followed by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

source: http://www.infoniac.com/hi-tech/top-10-most-important-inventions-of-the-21st-century-in-technology.html