17 'Modern' Inventions That Are Way Older Than You Think

Carly Tennes Published 09/22/2024 in wow

While it may seem like 3D printers, electric cars, and Altoids are all things of the recent past, the stories behind these innovations are decades, if not centuries long. Just ask our parents, grandparents, and in some cases, great-grandparents who saw drones in warfare ran over linoleum floors and lit up a cigarette without a match.

From fax machines to vaccines, here are 17 'modern' inventions that afre way older than you think.

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1. The 3D Printer
The first 3D printer dates back to 1981
2. The Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter predates the match. The lighter was invented in 1823, whereas the match was invented three years later in 1826.
3. The Electric Car
The first electric car was invented in Germany in 1888
4. Braking Systems
Ancient Roman carts employed brakes, bearings and elastic suspensions.
5. The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem dates back to the days of ancient Babylon circa 1900 B.C.E.
6. Altoids
“A random small one: Altoids. They were invented three years before the U.S. became a recognized country, in 1780.”
7. Contact Lenses
“Da Vinci invented the contact lens in the 16th century. Obviously not the modern version of it, but he laid the groundwork to correct people's vision through a lens.”
8. The Microwave
The Microwave was patented in 1945.
9. UAVs (or Drones)
The first UAV was used in battle in 1849.
10. Linoleum
Linoleum was first created in [1860], and was a very common flooring during Victorian [and] Edwardian periods.
11. Vaccines
The first vaccine was given in 1796, after Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that people who became sick with cowpox developed an immunity to smallpox.
12. Electric Street Lights
“The first electric street lights were installed in [1880]”
13. Running Water
“Running water. Go back to 1850 and it didn't exist. There were outhouses or if you lived in a major city such as New York, you used a chamber pot and just threw your urine and feces out the window to fall into the streets below. But go back 2,000 years and the Ancient Romans had running water. Clearly it was invented long ago but for some reason we lost that technology until the late 1800’s.”
14. Vending Machines
The first modern vending machines date back to the early 1800s in London.
15. The Electric Motor
“The electric motor was first invented in 1832.”
16. The Calculator ... Kind Of
“The abacus could fairly be considered a calculator and was in use a couple thousand years BCE.”
17. The Fax Machine
“The fact that the fax machine was invented in [the mid 1800s], Lincoln died in 1865, and samurai’s were still around in 1868, meant that Abraham Lincoln could have sent a fax to a Samurai.”

1. The 3D Printer
The first 3D printer dates back to 1981
2. The Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter predates the match. The lighter was invented in 1823, whereas the match was invented three years later in 1826.
3. The Electric Car
The first electric car was invented in Germany in 1888
4. Braking Systems
Ancient Roman carts employed brakes, bearings and elastic suspensions.
5. The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem dates back to the days of ancient Babylon circa 1900 B.C.E.
6. Altoids
“A random small one: Altoids. They were invented three years before the U.S. became a recognized country, in 1780.”
7. Contact Lenses
“Da Vinci invented the contact lens in the 16th century. Obviously not the modern version of it, but he laid the groundwork to correct people's vision through a lens.”
8. The Microwave
The Microwave was patented in 1945.
9. UAVs (or Drones)
The first UAV was used in battle in 1849.
10. Linoleum
Linoleum was first created in [1860], and was a very common flooring during Victorian [and] Edwardian periods.
11. Vaccines
The first vaccine was given in 1796, after Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that people who became sick with cowpox developed an immunity to smallpox.
12. Electric Street Lights
“The first electric street lights were installed in [1880]”
13. Running Water
“Running water. Go back to 1850 and it didn't exist. There were outhouses or if you lived in a major city such as New York, you used a chamber pot and just threw your urine and feces out the window to fall into the streets below. But go back 2,000 years and the Ancient Romans had running water. Clearly it was invented long ago but for some reason we lost that technology until the late 1800’s.”
14. Vending Machines
The first modern vending machines date back to the early 1800s in London.
15. The Electric Motor
“The electric motor was first invented in 1832.”
16. The Calculator ... Kind Of
“The abacus could fairly be considered a calculator and was in use a couple thousand years BCE.”
17. The Fax Machine
“The fact that the fax machine was invented in [the mid 1800s], Lincoln died in 1865, and samurai’s were still around in 1868, meant that Abraham Lincoln could have sent a fax to a Samurai.”

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17 'Modern' Inventions That Are Way Older Than You Think

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17 'Modern' Inventions That Are Way Older Than You Think

1. The 3D Printer
The first 3D printer dates back to 1981

2. The Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter predates the match. The lighter was invented in 1823, whereas the match was invented three years later in 1826.

3. The Electric Car
The first electric car was invented in Germany in 1888

4. Braking Systems
Ancient Roman carts employed brakes, bearings and elastic suspensions.

5. The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem dates back to the days of ancient Babylon circa 1900 B.C.E.

6. Altoids
“A random small one: Altoids. They were invented three years before the U.S. became a recognized country, in 1780.”

7. Contact Lenses
“Da Vinci invented the contact lens in the 16th century. Obviously not the modern version of it, but he laid the groundwork to correct people's vision through a lens.”

8. The Microwave
The Microwave was patented in 1945.

9. UAVs (or Drones)
The first UAV was used in battle in 1849.

10. Linoleum
Linoleum was first created in [1860], and was a very common flooring during Victorian [and] Edwardian periods.

11. Vaccines
The first vaccine was given in 1796, after Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that people who became sick with cowpox developed an immunity to smallpox.

12. Electric Street Lights
“The first electric street lights were installed in [1880]”

14. Vending Machines
The first modern vending machines date back to the early 1800s in London.

15. The Electric Motor
“The electric motor was first invented in 1832.”

16. The Calculator ... Kind Of
“The abacus could fairly be considered a calculator and was in use a couple thousand years BCE.”

17. The Fax Machine
“The fact that the fax machine was invented in [the mid 1800s], Lincoln died in 1865, and samurai’s were still around in 1868, meant that Abraham Lincoln could have sent a fax to a Samurai.”

1. The 3D Printer

2. The Cigarette Lighter

3. The Electric Car

4. Braking Systems

5. The Pythagorean Theorem

6. Altoids

7. Contact Lenses

8. The Microwave

9. UAVs (or Drones)

10. Linoleum

11. Vaccines

12. Electric Street Lights

13. Running Water

14. Vending Machines

15. The Electric Motor

16. The Calculator ... Kind Of

17. The Fax Machine

Share This Image

0 Comments

eBaum's Picks

1. The 3D Printer The first 3D printer dates back to 1981

2. The Cigarette Lighter The cigarette lighter predates the match. The lighter was invented in 1823, whereas the match was invented three years later in 1826.

3. The Electric Car The first electric car was invented in Germany in 1888

4. Braking Systems Ancient Roman carts employed brakes, bearings and elastic suspensions.

5. The Pythagorean Theorem The Pythagorean Theorem dates back to the days of ancient Babylon circa 1900 B.C.E.

6. Altoids “A random small one: Altoids. They were invented three years before the U.S. became a recognized country, in 1780.”

7. Contact Lenses “Da Vinci invented the contact lens in the 16th century. Obviously not the modern version of it, but he laid the groundwork to correct people's vision through a lens.”

8. The Microwave The Microwave was patented in 1945.

9. UAVs (or Drones) The first UAV was used in battle in 1849.

10. Linoleum Linoleum was first created in [1860], and was a very common flooring during Victorian [and] Edwardian periods.

11. Vaccines The first vaccine was given in 1796, after Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that people who became sick with cowpox developed an immunity to smallpox.

12. Electric Street Lights “The first electric street lights were installed in [1880]”

14. Vending Machines The first modern vending machines date back to the early 1800s in London.

15. The Electric Motor “The electric motor was first invented in 1832.”

16. The Calculator ... Kind Of “The abacus could fairly be considered a calculator and was in use a couple thousand years BCE.”

17. The Fax Machine “The fact that the fax machine was invented in [the mid 1800s], Lincoln died in 1865, and samurai’s were still around in 1868, meant that Abraham Lincoln could have sent a fax to a Samurai.”

1. The 3D Printer

2. The Cigarette Lighter

3. The Electric Car

4. Braking Systems

5. The Pythagorean Theorem

6. Altoids

7. Contact Lenses

8. The Microwave

9. UAVs (or Drones)

10. Linoleum

11. Vaccines

12. Electric Street Lights

13. Running Water

14. Vending Machines

15. The Electric Motor

16. The Calculator ... Kind Of

17. The Fax Machine

Share This Image

0 Comments

eBaum's Picks

1. The 3D Printer
The first 3D printer dates back to 1981

2. The Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter predates the match. The lighter was invented in 1823, whereas the match was invented three years later in 1826.

3. The Electric Car
The first electric car was invented in Germany in 1888

4. Braking Systems
Ancient Roman carts employed brakes, bearings and elastic suspensions.

5. The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem dates back to the days of ancient Babylon circa 1900 B.C.E.

6. Altoids
“A random small one: Altoids. They were invented three years before the U.S. became a recognized country, in 1780.”

7. Contact Lenses
“Da Vinci invented the contact lens in the 16th century. Obviously not the modern version of it, but he laid the groundwork to correct people's vision through a lens.”

8. The Microwave
The Microwave was patented in 1945.

9. UAVs (or Drones)
The first UAV was used in battle in 1849.

10. Linoleum
Linoleum was first created in [1860], and was a very common flooring during Victorian [and] Edwardian periods.

11. Vaccines
The first vaccine was given in 1796, after Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that people who became sick with cowpox developed an immunity to smallpox.

12. Electric Street Lights
“The first electric street lights were installed in [1880]”

14. Vending Machines
The first modern vending machines date back to the early 1800s in London.

15. The Electric Motor
“The electric motor was first invented in 1832.”

16. The Calculator ... Kind Of
“The abacus could fairly be considered a calculator and was in use a couple thousand years BCE.”

17. The Fax Machine
“The fact that the fax machine was invented in [the mid 1800s], Lincoln died in 1865, and samurai’s were still around in 1868, meant that Abraham Lincoln could have sent a fax to a Samurai.”