Stuff You Should Know Salute to Women Inventors
Jul 4, 2024
Celebrate the resilience and creativity of women inventors throughout history. Discover how pioneers like Charlotte Smith and Marie Van Britton Brown broke barriers in a male-dominated field. Marvel at Josephine Cochran's revolutionary dishwasher and Marion Donovan's disposable diapers that transformed household technology. Explore ingenious designs like the square-bottom grocery bag and safety devices from trailblazers like Margaret Knight. The podcast mixes fascinating stories with light-hearted anecdotes, bringing these often-overlooked innovators into the spotlight.
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Patent Inequality
- In the late 20th century, only 10% of patents were awarded to women.
- One reason was the requirement to file patents under a male relative's name due to discriminatory laws.
Home Security System
- Marie Van Brittan Brown, a nurse, invented the first closed-circuit TV security system.
- Concerned for her safety in a rough neighborhood, she and her husband developed the system in the 1960s.
Dishwasher Origins
- Josephine Cochran, a socialite, invented the first practical dishwasher after being dismayed by chipped china.
- Following her husband's death and resulting debt, she perfected her design and launched a company, which later became KitchenAid.