Famous Inventors

While the majority of the population continues to maintain the status quo, a very small minority work to change it. Throughout history, there have been only a handful of famous inventors -- and each one of them has had a significant impact on the way we live our lives today. From the first telephone, to the very harnessing of electricity, these men are truly the pioneers of society. In honor of their handwork and dedication, here's a short list of history's most famous inventors. 

Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison is best known for the invention of the first every phonograph. The phonograph allowed users of the telephones to leave each other messages, by physically engraving these messages on a tin foil cylinder with the help of a stylus. Edison went on to do a great many things in the fields of electricity, audio and film devices, light bulbs and more.

Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney played a significant role in the industrial revolution, and specifically the expedition of agricultural gathering. He is most famous for the invention of the cotton gin in 1794; the cotton gin quickly separated hulls, seeds and other contaminants found in cotton. Unfortunately for Eli, he made almost no money from his invention due to poorly-worded patent laws that were in effect when his invention was constructed. However, Eli didn't just stop at the cotton gin and also created a way to manufacture muskets with interchangeable parts -- by this time, patent laws had been reconstructed and he deservedly made quite a bit of money. 

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is one of the most prolific inventors in our history, churning out inventions his entire life. Not only did he invent the lightning rod, giving us the ability to harness the awesome power of lightning, he also created the iron furnace stove, the odometer and bifocal glasses! A scientist, publisher and a statesman, Benjamin went on to contribute a great wealth of knowledge to his fellow humans throughout his lifetime. 

Alexander Graham Bell

Undoubtedly one of the most famous inventors in all of human history, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone at the young age of just 29, and just a year letter started the Bell Telephone Company. Despite the immense riches that he received through his invention and company, he continued to relentlessly pursue new ideas purely for the sake of intellectual curiosity. From this curiosity stemmed the "photophone", the first device ever conceived with the ability to transmit sound on beams of light. Graham called this the "greatest invention he had ever created, better than the telephone", and is still used today as the basis of laser and fiber optic technology.


While usually eccentric, sensitive, and occasionally overbearing, inventors are none-the-less an integral part of society. While they may not fit in with everybody else, they usually prefer it that way, tending to their projects without the everyday distractions of life. While we tend to take much of our modern day technology for granted, we truly owe our respects to these great men.