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They don’t always appear in textbooks, yet they have transformed the way we live. From Wi-Fi to the dishwasher, from the turn signal to the bra, here are ten women inventors to whom we owe far more than we might realize.

When we talk about major inventions, the names that come to mind are usually men’s. But history is full of pioneering women whose ideas quietly changed our lives, often without the credit they deserved. They created everyday objects that brought real shifts in technology, society, and science. Some were scientists, others tinkerers, engineers, actresses, or simply visionaries. What they shared was boldness, intelligence, and a sharp sense of the world’s needs, especially at a time when men largely shaped society. Here are ten women whose inventions truly made a difference.

1- Marie Curie – Radioactivity
In the early 1900s, Marie Curie discovered two radioactive elements, radium and polonium. Her groundbreaking work laid the foundation for nuclear research, cancer treatment, and modern physics. To this day, she remains the only woman to have won two Nobel Prizes.

2- Hedy Lamarr – Wi-Fi
A legendary Hollywood actress known for her glamour, Hedy Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor. During World War II, she developed a frequency-hopping system to secure radio communications. This technology paved the way for Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth, a true tech pioneer in an evening gown.

3- Josephine Cochrane – The Dishwasher
In 1886, Josephine Cochrane wanted to protect her fine china from damage and ease her household’s workload. So, she came up with a groundbreaking idea and created the first functioning mechanical dishwasher, long before society considered such inventions “a man’s job.”

4- Tabitha Babbitt – The Circular Saw
In 1810, this American Shaker noticed men wasting time with an inefficient straight saw. She invented the circular saw, speeding up woodworking. Her design was refined over time and widely adopted in industrial sawmills.

5- Mary Anderson – The Windshield Wiper
In 1903, Mary Anderson invented a device to clean car windshields, an articulated arm that wiped the glass. Initially dismissed, it was later adopted and became mandatory on all vehicles. Yet she never received royalties.

6- Caresse Crosby – The Bra
In 1914, during the age of rigid corsets, Caresse Crosby introduced a simple and clever alternative: a garment that separated rather than compressed the breasts. Her invention marked a turning point in women’s lingerie and personal freedom. What was once a radical idea has now become commonplace.

7- Maria Telkes – Solar Heating
A pioneer of renewable energy, this Hungarian-American researcher designed the world’s first solar-heated house in 1947. A brilliant physicist, she believed in the sun’s unlimited potential to warm homes, a vision that remains vital today.

8- Alice H. Parker – Gas Heating
In 1919, African American engineer Alice H. Parker designed a central heating system powered by gas. Her invention laid the groundwork for modern home heating, greatly improving comfort in cold climates. A quiet but crucial breakthrough.

9- Gladys West – GPS
In the 1980s, mathematician Gladys West developed essential calculations for GPS technology using satellite data. Without her, our phones wouldn’t know their location. Her work was recognized only recently after decades of silence.

10- Florence Lawrence – The Turn Signal
Silent film actress Florence Lawrence invented a mechanical arm in 1914 that extended from the back of a car to signal turns, the very first turn signal, created long before it was industrially produced.

Their names are often forgotten, their patents stolen, and their inventions credited to others. Yet these women truly changed history by making life simpler, smoother, and more comfortable. Progress has a woman’s face too.