# Underappreciated inventions of the 20th century **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240 "2011-03-11T00:54:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/1 "2011-03-11T00:54:32Z")
Clumping cat litter ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/2 "2011-03-11T01:09:40Z")
The safety razor. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/3 "2011-03-11T01:14:54Z")
Goofballs to get hopped up on. Interrupter gear for firing machine guns through propeller arcs. Dual recliner loveseats with built in drink holders. The Denver Broncos. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/4 "2011-03-11T01:16:15Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > The safety razor. The Safety Dance. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/5 "2011-03-11T01:22:03Z")
The safety _belt_. I owe my life, literally. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/6 "2011-03-11T01:23:29Z")
the VP shunt. (made me as healthy as I’m gonna be) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/7 "2011-03-11T01:38:21Z")
super-absorbent diapers. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/8 "2011-03-11T01:51:45Z")
Teabags ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/9 "2011-03-11T01:54:07Z")
The Internet highway system in the U.S. It is hardly unknown but it is greatly underappreciated. It is older than the internet and beats it in terms of societal impact. Somehow Eisenhower doesn’t get the accolades that Al Gore does though. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/10 "2011-03-11T02:03:28Z")
Uh, you mean Inter_state_ highway system? Hot running water. Seriously, hot running water. Sure we’ve had it for centuries, but it’s never been so easy and cheap to have it _inside your house_ any time you want it! ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/11 "2011-03-11T02:06:54Z")
The Clapper, duh! ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/12 "2011-03-11T02:08:04Z")
The light bulb, the steam boat, and the cotton gin. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/13 "2011-03-11T02:16:03Z")
Markxxx 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/14 "2011-03-11T02:47:50Z")
The standardized shipping container ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/15 "2011-03-11T02:53:31Z")
Car air conditioning. Air conditioning in general is nice but in a car stuck in traffic in august it’s a lifesaver. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/16 "2011-03-11T02:54:43Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > The light bulb, the steam boat, and the cotton gin. C’mon, those aren’t underappreciated. Automatic doors. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/17 "2011-03-11T02:57:01Z")
The [zipper](http://www.amazon.com/Zipper-Exploration-Robert-D-Friedel/dp/0393313654/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299812176&sr=1-1). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/18 "2011-03-11T03:10:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The standardized shipping container Good choice. I forgot that one. I love logistics and seeing how cheap and easy it is for container ships to just load that stuff on ships with a crane in standard containers in Asia and then just pick it up and plop it on the back of a truck here at home. Many consumer items wouldn’t be nearly as cheap or widespread without those. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/19 "2011-03-11T03:27:52Z")
Velcro ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240/20 "2011-03-11T03:34:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The [zipper](http://www.amazon.com/Zipper-Exploration-Robert-D-Friedel/dp/0393313654/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299812176&sr=1-1). 19th Century… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underappreciated-inventions-of-the-20th-century/574240.md?page=2)