Top 10 German Inventions

Because why not? After all, Germany is a very industrialised country.
The Top Ten
1 Printing Press

Created by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440 during the Renaissance Era. This invention simply is one of the most groundbreaking inventions of all time. Thanks to this invention, books and other copies were printed much faster than by hand, the horizons of education have broadened, and it is responsible for the creation of the Gutenberg Bible (World's first printed book). This invention plays a very essential role during the Renaissance. Without this invention, it's harder to enlighten men by expanding education throughout Europe that fuels the Renaissance.

2 Electron Microscope

Physicist Ernst Ruska alongside German electrical engineer Max Knoll were responsible for the demonstration of the first prototype of the Electron Microscope (Of course, Transmission) in 1931. It wasn't until 2 years later that Ruska invented the first electron microscope. Ruska was later on awarded the Nobel Prize in 1986 for his invention of the Transmission Electron Microscope and work on electron microscopy. This has a powerful magnification and has more magnification than the normal microscope, which the microscope transmits electrons through the specimen to make an image of the internal structure of the specimen. The purpose of the TEM is to observe the internal structures of very small organisms at a submicron level. Hard to imagine how biologists can live without this essential invention.

3 Automobile with Internal Combustion Engine

Created by engine and automobile designer Karl Benz in 1885 which was patented a year later. It's indeed the world's first automobile with an internal combustion engine. Benz's patent is under his own company Benz & Cie. The automobile has 3 wheels and its combustion engine runs on a four cycle. I have to say, the innovations of the automobile amazes me throughout the centuries as generations are passed down.

4 Aspirin

Created by chemist Felix Hoffman in 1897. Hoffman was actually motivated by his father's rheumatoid arthritis, which lead him to synthesize acetylsalicylic acid AKA Aspirin. He is not only responsible for synthesizing the drug that is used to combat pain, swelling, arthritis and fever; he's also responsible for resynthesizing diamorphine AKA Heroin.

5 Bunsen Burner

Created by chemist Robert Bunsen in 1854 alongside German instrument maker Peter Desaga who is responsible for the design of the Bunsen burner. It wasn't introduced until a year later. It's used in heating, sterilization, and combustion. Very essential invention whenever college students or high school students in Biology class or any science class are doing laboratory experiments.

6 Contact Lens

Created by ophthalmologist Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick in 1888. He is responsible for creating the first successful model of contact lens, which were made out of glass. He first tested the model on rabbits before he tested it on himself. It is estimated that over 150 million worldwide use contact lens. What's very fascinating is that Leonardo Da Vinci predicted and had a sketch about his idea that's somehow very similar to the idea of contact lens!

7 Coffee Filters

Created by housewife Melitta Benz in 1908 when she was 35 years old back at the time. The reason why she come up with this invention is because she wants to remove the bitter taste caused by the boiling loose coffee grounds. She patented her own invention and formed her own company Melitta alongside her husband and her two sons to assist her selling coffee filters.

8 Diesel Engine

Created by inventor and mechanical engineer Rudolf Diesel in 1893. His invention was based off on the Carnot cycle. The Diesel Engine AKA compression ignition engine is an internal combustion engine that runs on compression ignition. The engine is first compressed by air, which the compressed air builds up heat and increases the temperature up to more than a thousand degrees. The compressed air is then inserted in a combustion chamber, and then the fuel-air mixture is ignited into making fuel.

9 Four-Stroke Engine

Created by engineer Nikolaus Otto in 1876. He is the first to create an internal combustion engine with the four-stroke cycle, which it is called the Otto Cycle. The engine was an immediate success thanks to its reliability, efficiency, and relative quietness. 30,000 engines were created in the next 10 years.

10 Tape Recorder
The Contenders
11 Gramophone

Created by inventor Emile Berliner in 1887. He was the one responsible for innovating the gramophone by using records or flat disks, replacing the cylinders. The records were first made out of glass, which were made out of zinc and plastic later on. He then founded his own company The Gramophone Company where the gramophones playing records were mass produced. Technically, he is a pioneer of vinyl records!

12 MP3 audio format
13 Synchronized Photo Flash
14 Binary Digital Computer (Z1)
15 Zeppelin
16 Practical Helicopter
17 Fischer Wall Plug
18 Turbojet-Powered Aircraft
19 Portable Electric Drill
20 Kaliapparat
21 French Horn
22 Self-Propelled Wheelchair
23 Tuba
24 Cuckoo Clock
25 Geiger Counter
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