15 things you might not have known were invented by women
Newsy
The next time you use your windshield wipers, central heat or Wi-Fi, thank these women.
Although they might not receive the same accolades and recognition as male visionaries, women inventors have helped shape the modern world in countless ways. Notable innovators like Ada Lovelace — who is considered the world's first programmer — have paved the way for today’s technologies.
Others, like Stephanie Kwoleck, have improved safety with inventions like Kevlar, which is five times stronger than steel and used to make bulletproof vests and combat helmets.
But, despite so many accomplishments, women haven't always gotten due credit for their inventions.
While the Patent Act of 1790 allowed both men and women to protect their inventions with patents, women in many states couldn't legally own property independent of their husbands.
Many women inventors thus registered patents in their husbands' names or didn't bother with patents at all. In 1809, Mary Kies became the first woman to receive a U.S. patent. It was for her method of weaving straw with silk, a technique she used for making hats.
