1753 - The lightning rod is invented (Benjamin Franklin, United States)

"Those of our Readers in this and the neighboring Provinces, who may have had an Opportunity of observing, during the present Summer, and of the Effects of Lightning on Houses, Ships, Trees, &c. are requested to take particular Notice of its Course, and Deviation from a... Read MORE...

1784 - The bifocal lens is invented (Benjamin Franklin, United States)

"While living in Paris, Franklin hated having to change constantly from reading glasses to distance glasses. He directed an optician to cut two pairs of lenses horizontally in half and mount them in a new frame, with the reading lens at the bottom and the distance lens at... Read MORE...

1784 - The oil lamp is invented (Aimé Argand, Switzerland)

"Argand burner, first scientifically constructed oil lamp, patented in 1784 in England by a Swiss, Aimé Argand. The first basic change in lamps in thousands of years, it applied a principle that was later adapted to gas burners. The Argand burner consisted of a cylindrical... Read MORE...

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1793 - The cotton gin is invented (Eli Whitney, United States)

"In 1793, Eli Whitney invented a simple machine that influenced the history of the United States. He invented a cotton gin that was popular in the South. The South became the cotton producing part of the country because Whitney’s cotton gin was able to successfully pull... Read MORE...

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1800 - Electric storage battery is invented (Alessandro Volta, Italy)

...Probably the most important developments in the science of electricity started with the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta. This battery gave the world its first continuous, reliable source of electric current and led to all the important... Read MORE...

Tucson Daily Citizen - Tucson, Arizona - March 18, 1960