Andrew Tate, the inspiration of wannabe alpha males, said in an interview, “Patriarchy built the modern world.” Sure, at first, people do believe him because everything we know about the modern world is believed to be built by men. From cars to computers, all inventions and discoveries are credited to them. This made me question: Is Andrew Tate right? So, I did my research and turns out, as expected, he is wrong. The truth is there are a lot of women’s inventions that have changed the world. But these women never get the recognition and credit they deserve.

So, here’s a non-exhaustive list of things that women have invented that prove patriarchy didn’t build the world.

Wi-Fi

There’s no way we can survive without the internet today. Wi-fi is what keeps our hearts beating but let me tell you that the groundwork for the technology required for Wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS was laid by Hedy Lamarr. She was a successful Hollywood actor and inventor. It’s Lamarr’s hard work because of which we can now connect to billions of devices worldwide.

Beer

What if I tell you your favourite beer was created by Sumerian and Mesopotamian women 7,000 years ago? And do you know for centuries only women were allowed to operate breweries? So, the next time you raise a beer glass, say cheers to these women.

Medical syringe

Medical syringes weren’t always easy to operate. In the early days, doctors needed both their hands to administer injections and this was quite a task. But Letitia Geer developed the syringe as we know it now. It can be used with a single hand, making the process much easier. While she might not have been the one to develop the first syringe, Geer did develop it the way it’s still widely used.

Home security system

Home security systems were pretty much non-existent till the early 1960s when Marie Van Brittan Brown realised she needed it. Being a nurse, she usually came back home late at night, and at that time, the crime rate in her neighbourhood was quite high with police rarely responding. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and developed a CCTV to monitor her house.

Caller ID

In this world of scams, our phones flashing the Caller IDs on screen is a source of relief. But do you know whose efforts led to the development of this caller ID? It was Dr Shirley Ann Jackson. She was the first African-American woman to earn a PhD at MIT and has made significant contributions to the world of telecommunications.

Coffee filter

Those who love pour-over coffee should be thankful to Melitta Bentz. She was the first person who came up with the idea of making coffee in the most minimalist way possible. She’s the reason we can enjoy smooth, sediment-free coffee every morning.

Windshield wiper

Imagine driving a car in the rain with no windshield wipers. Can’t drive, right? Well, Mary Anderson made our lives easy by inventing windshield wipers. When she was travelling to New York City in pouring rain, Anderson noticed that the trolley driver had to wipe the windscreen by stretching his arms out of the window. This is when the idea struck her and the rest is history, as they say.

Laser cataract surgery

Cataract is quite a common medical condition in older people and getting it operated on is important for proper vision. In 1986, Patricia Bath developed Laserphaco Probe. This medical tool helps doctors dissolve the cataract painlessly before they can apply new lenses to the eye. And this technology is still used by doctors to this day to treat cataracts.

Car heater

We love the warmth our car provides in that cold and chilly weather. And for that, we gotta say thanks to Margaret A. Wilcox, who invented the car heater in 1893. To heat the vehicle, she used the heat that was already being generated as a byproduct of combustion. That’s quite smart.

Word processor

If you also believe that Seymour Rubenstein and Rob Barnaby developed the word processor, you are wrong. Evelyn Berezin developed the first true word processor in 1969. It was after a decade that Seymour Rubenstein and Rob Barnaby developed a more successful version of it in 1979. In addition to this, Berezin also developed the first-ever computerised booking system for airlines.

Electric refrigerator

At the time when people used ice boxes to store food, Florence Parpart thought of creating a refrigerator and succeeded. She paved the way for the refrigeration industry and changed people’s lives for the better permanently.

This is a very small list compared to the numerous women’s inventions that have changed the world. So, the next time someone tells you men built the world, hit them with facts and move on.

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