These are the best inventions that became popular, but nobody thought they would!

In a world where technology evolves each day more and more, it’s amazing to look back at the day when the first telephone was invented. Can you imagine how surprised people were when they first used it? Or the person who tested the first car invented? Amazing indeed!

In today’s article, we will talk about inventions that became popular in the blink of an eye, even if people were skeptical or even ridiculed them. Rude or not, it’s somehow in our nature to not trust new inventions. Neither will they withstand the test of time. However, in these cases, science proved wrong because we still have a lot of them and we won’t see our lives without them.

1. Television

One of the first inventions that became popular quickly was, of course, the television. I mean, who would picture themselves without a TV in their house? Nowadays, technology has indeed evolved, and now we have smart televisions. But when it was first invented, everybody was blown away by it.

The story of television began in 1926, only a year after John Logie Baird gave a public demonstration of a perfectly functional television. Of course, people were skeptical about it; in fact, one of the American radio stations said that this gadget is more like a financial impossibility for the times we live in.

Additionally, even famous people from the film industry were upset about the invention, saying that eventually people would get bored of staring into a tiny box every day. Little did they know! Quickly, this invention became popular, and every family had it in their house.

In 2013, the number of households with at least one television in their home was estimated to be over 1.4 billion, according to several surveys. And of course, now we can also have quite a few hours of fun watching our favorite shows thanks to streaming services.

2. Bicycles

Before cars and other vehicles that help us commute, bicycles were the main trend. They were chic, fancy, and trendy, but as with any other invention on the list, it took a while until they became widely appreciated. The first bicycle was invented in 1817, and it looked far different than it does now. Its frame was a wooden beam, and it lacked pedals.

Only 52 years later, the bicycle gained a new shape, and it was called a “high-wheeler or “penny farthing.” Compared to the previous designs, this one had a saddle. However, it wasn’t 100% safe because the driver could have been easily injured if they had eventually hit a bump in the road.

The bicycle is one of those inventions that became popular despite the gossip and skepticism of a lot of people. They said it was not safe to ride it; it was not strong enough, you might get hurt, and it wasn’t necessarily safe for children. The same critics stated that a bicycle is impractical for daily use.

People in 1902 didn’t know how much bicycles would improve over the years! In addition to this, it has been shown that bicycles are essential for getting around, but their greatest impact on our society may be traced to the beginning of women’s freedom in Western societies. It is also said to have played a crucial role in advancing women’s voting rights.

Today, in a lot of countries, bicycles are seen as an alternative option for cars and other vehicles that encourage pollution.

3. Cars

After people rather mocked bicycles than acknowledging the fact they were useful, it was time for cars to be ridiculed. Although they aren’t the primary mode of land travel, automobiles are the quickest means of getting anywhere on the schedule. Mainly as a result of its powerful engine.

After a while, people began to see its usefulness and began to refer to it as a second house that had a lot of furnishings for human comfort. However, even when the first vehicle was introduced in 1885, it was so expensive that only the wealthiest people could buy it. The less fortunate would just walk or, if they could afford it, ride a bike.

The Ford Motor Company later created the first Model T car in 1908, and by 1918, it already had a monopoly in America and produced half of all vehicles. Cars are also some of those inventions that became popular, and in today’s world, it’s pretty hard to imagine a world without them.

4. Umbrellas

“You can stand under my umbrella, Ella, Ella,” said the well-known lyrics from the song of the same name sung by Rihanna. At the beginning of its invention, the umbrella was mostly used as a parasol. Most of the women utilized them to protect themselves from the scorching sun during the summer. However, nowadays we mostly wear hats or light-colored clothes to “combat” the sun during warm seasons.

An interesting fact to point out is that umbrellas were not accepted by the British. Weird, right? Despite having a rainy climate all year round, English people were hesitant to carry umbrellas. While the portable, waterproof form of the sun parasol had gained recognition in the rest of Europe, it appeared that England wasn’t yet ready for this innovation in the 1700s. Who knew that umbrellas would be among those inventions that became popular over the years?

5. Electric light bulbs

This invention is undeniably an invention that became popular in a short time, mostly because of people’s need to have electricity in their households. Most history books tell us that Thomas Edison was behind this awesome invention. However, even if this statement is true, you should also know that he wasn’t the only one who contributed to the evolution of both electricity and technology.

While he created the low-cost light bulb, other people assisted him in selecting the ideal design and filament materials. Thomas Edison discovered that carbonized bamboo was perfect for filament, mostly because of its long burn time of more than 1,200 hours!

Of course, it’s hard to imagine a life without a source of electricity, especially in 2023. But before people were more open-minded and ready to accept the evolution of technology in their lives, Edison’s light bulb was seen as a bad thing.

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6. Stapler

The sixth invention that became popular over time is the stapler. Quite strange, indeed! In today’s world, we see everything as a necessity, but we don’t appreciate what we have. The story of the basic stapler dates from the 18th century, and it was originally made for King Louis XV.

At the beginning of its era, the stapler weighed over 2.5 pounds and could have driven a single 1/2-inch broad wire staple through many sheets of paper.

7. Personal computers

Who can imagine their lives without their laptop or PC? Among other inventions that became popular, personal computers stand pretty high on the list. With so many jobs now depending on this gadget, it’s hard to imagine a world without it.

If having a personal computer in your house was a luxury a few decades ago, now it’s more like a necessity. Everything has evolved since 1949 when it was first invented. Wow, it’s been so long! Of course, there were a lot of people who argued about “this necessity” because they saw it as a major burden and something that their kids desperately wanted.

8. Nail polish

In 1917, the first nail polish for women was invented. And while you may be tempted to believe that it was a brilliant invention, you will be disappointed to learn the contrary. A lot of people were unsure about the safety of the nail polish, thinking it would do more harm than good to their nails.

Eventually, after a couple of years, the nail polish had better quality and was soon put on the list of inventions that became popular.

If this article wasn’t enough for you and you’re still thirsty for more inventions that became popular despite the fact they were invented for a different purpose, we suggest you check out this article. You’re going to enjoy it, for sure!

Are you aware of any other inventions that became popular over the years? Tell us in the comments section!