1. Johannes Gutenberg (1400)

Inventor

German blacksmith who invented the first printing press with moveable type, which started the Printing Revolution of the 15th and 16th century. His invention helped increase literacy in Europe and...

2. Nicolas Appert (1749)

Inventor

French inventor of airtight food preservation who is known as the 'Father of Canning'. There are 72 streets named after him in his native France.

3. William Webb Ellis (1806)

Inventor

Anglican priest who allegedly invented the sport of rugby. The winner of the Rugby World Cup receives the William Webb Ellis Cup, a prize named in Ellis' memory.

4. Thomas Edison (1847)

Inventor

He invented early versions of the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, and became a legend for contributions to telecommunications and industry. With 1,093 U.S. patents in...

5. Frank J. Sprague (1857)

Inventor

American naval officer and inventor who developed the first electrical motors, electric railways, and elevators. His inventions greatly helped expand the size of cities and promoted urban development.

6. Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861)

Inventor

Creator of the first mercury-vapor lamp, a brighter and more durable light source, which was in popular use for decades after. He also developed and tested an early hydrofoil and...

7. Charles Martin Hall (1863)

Inventor

American inventor and chemist who developed an inexpensive way to make aluminum. His work brought the metal into widespread commercial use, the first since the prehistoric discovery of iron.

8. Edwin Binney (1866)

Inventor

Inventor who is best known for his invention of the Crayola crayon. 

9. Traian Vuia (1872)

Inventor

Romanian inventor who became known for his early experiments with fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

10. Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882)

Inventor

Inventor who built the world's first rocket fueled by liquid fuel, which he launched successfully for the first time on March 16, 1926. His monograph, A Method of Reaching Extreme...

11. Alfred Lee Loomis (1887)

Inventor

Scientist who invented the LORAN or Long Range Navigation System for use during World War II. He was also involved in the preliminary meetings of the Manhattan Project, which later...

12. Edwin Perkins (1889)

Inventor

In the late 1920s, this Nebraska-based inventor came up with the recipe for a popular powdered beverage that he named Kool-Ade and that eventually became known as Kool-Aid.

13. Percy Spencer (1894)

Inventor

Inventor, engineer and scientist best remembered as the co-inventor of the microwave oven.

14. Warren Weaver (1894)

Inventor

A recognized innovator of machine translation and a key player in creating support for the scientific field in the United States. He was was granted membership into the National Academy...

15. Marcel Kiepach (1894)

Inventor

A prodigious inventor who patented his first invention and advanced the maritime compass at age 16. He also invented a dynamo for vehicle lighting.

16. Claude E. Shannon (1916)

Inventor

His revolutionary theory of information united what before were completely separate methods of communication - the telegraph, telephone, and broadcast media. He also helped develop the field of cryptanalysis, while...

17. Jeri Ellsworth (1974)

Inventor

Engineer and inventor known for her emphasis on do-it-yourself computer engineering. She first garnered attention for her C64 Direct-to-TV, in which she created a joystick capable of playing games from...

18. John Gorrie (1803)

Inventor

Scientist and inventor who was responsible for creating air conditioning and refrigeration. Unfortunately, he didn't make any money from his revolutionary inventions and he died impoverished.

19. Bob Doyle (1936)

Inventor

Inventor of the Super8 Sound Recorder, the first low-cost way of synching sound with Super 8 film. He also invented Code Name Sector, one of the first handheld video games.

20. Benjamin Hsiao (1970)

Inventor

Materials scientist who worked as the Vice-President for Research and Chief Research Officer at Stony Brook University. He has invented X-ray and water purification techniques.

21. Matthew Mason (1952)

Inventor

Known for his work in the field of robotics, this American scientist directed Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute and invented a robot capable of creating origami artwork.