(ConservativeJournal.org) – Every product we look at today is thanks to someone who had a spark of inspiration. While we praise the technology and availability of these products, we rarely ever think about the person who developed them. In fact, American women created several of the most convenient developments. Let’s take a look at a few.
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for…
Nearly 100 years before freezers were even a thought, Nancy Johnson had a craving for that sweet, creamy, frozen dessert. That’s right, the ice cream maker was around long before we had a way to store it. While Johnson didn’t invent the actual dessert, she did develop the hand crank machine, which eventually replaced the “pot freezer” technique that produced inconsistent results.
She filed a patent, no. 3254, in 1846 and with it, brought on a revolution — ice cream became available to the masses for much cheaper. In fact, her design, which consisted of a crank, paddle, lid and concentric cylinders, is still used today — after all, when you get it right, there’s no need to mess with perfection.
Warm Up the Car, Honey!
The first cars developed were, without a doubt, basic. As a matter of fact, they had no heat. That changed in 1893 when Margaret A. Wilcox decided she’d had enough of being cold while traveling. A mechanical engineer by trade, she decided to take advantage of the heat the vehicle’s engine was already producing. Instead of allowing it to disappear into the atmosphere, she developed a method to channel it into the car itself. While it’s not the car heater we know today — back in the 1890s, there was no way to regulate the temperature — it set the stage for today’s ultimate convenience.
Keeping You Safe, One Fiber at a Time
We take a lot of things for granted, including protective clothing, car brakes, the ability to drive over suspension bridges without fear (okay, maybe a little fear!), and the protective devices officers wear when they’re on duty. Most of these wouldn’t be available had Stephanie Kwolek not discovered Kevlar while working for Dupont. In fact, this company asked her to research to discover a fiber that could withstand extreme conditions. Her breakthrough was purely accidental, but it resulted in one of the greatest finds of all time.
The resilient material is used for more than 200 purposes today, from fiber optics that transmit signals overseas to the very frying pans we use to cook dinner. Kwolek received two very distinguished medals for her work: the National Medal of Technology in 1996 and the Perkin Medal in 1997. Today, you can find her in the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Next time you turn on your car heater, use your brakes or pick up your favorite pint of ice cream, say a little thank you to the American women who just happened to take existing materials and develop them into something that still benefits us today.
Copyright 2022, ConservativeJournal.org
