Among the main inventions of the Modern Age include the composite microscope, lightning rod, thermometer, steam engine and modern cooling system. These creations allowed great advances in science and industry.
The Modern Age is the third stage in the history of mankind. It includes the period from the discovery of America (1492) to the French Revolution (1789).
During this time there were great discoveries and extraordinary inventions.
Unlike the Middle Ages, in the modern age progress, idealism, communication and reason were the prevailing values, which allowed the development of innovative ideas that changed the world.
The 5 most important inventions of the Modern Age
1- The composite microscope (1592)
Zacharías Hanssen, maker of eyeglasses of Dutch origin, and his son Hans Jannsen were the creators of the composite optical microscope in the year 1592.
The idea emerged from an experiment in which they introduced magnifying lenses inside a tube and found that objects were best viewed.
Subsequently, the invention was improved in 1655 by Robert Hooke.
2- The lightning rod (1752)
Benjamin Franklin demonstrated that the rays can be attracted and their discharge can be lead to earth, avoiding the damages to people and buildings.
His invention took shape by tying a kite to a fine metal body (a key) supported by a silk thread.
The kite flying in the middle of the storm was quickly struck by lightning, loading the electric key.
3- The thermometer (1593)
Its first version was denominated like termoscopio and is attributed to Italian Galileo Galilei.
This invention compared the temperature of two bodies by immersing their tubular structure into a mixture of water and alcohol. The thermoscope compared temperatures, but did not measure them.
Santorio Santorio later created the air thermometer: an instrument with very poor measuring scales.
Finally, in the year 1714 Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit created the mercury thermometer.
4- The steam engine (1712)
Thomas Newcomen developed the atmospheric steam engine to extract water from the mines in 1712.
His machine worked by releasing the vapor in a chamber, in which it cooled and condensed.
This created a vacuum that exerted pressure. The force made the piston go down a pulley and suck the water.
Later, in 1769, James Watt created the steam engine that allowed the development of maritime navigation and that propelled the Industrial Revolution.
5- The modern refrigeration system (1748)
Scots physicist William Cullen discovered that some chemical reactions of gases repelled the heat of a particular area, creating a kind of ice pack. Thus found the basis of the modern refrigeration system.
From Cullen's findings the idea of using low-temperature artificial environments for food preservation was propagated.
This is how years later the original versions of modern refrigerators were developed.
References
- Allis, R. (s.f.). The 40 greatest innovations of all time. Retrieved on October 22, 2017 from: startupguide.com
- Feiner, S. (1997). The invention of the"modern age": a chapter in the rhetoric and self-image of the Haskala: In: jstor.org
- Pettinger, T. (March 03, 2017). Famous inventions. In: biographyonline.net
- Timeline of historic inventions. (October 16, 2017). In: en.wikipedia.org
- Woodford, C. (2008/2017). Technology timeline. In: explainthatstuff.com