invention

George de Mestral invented Velcro in 1955 after examining cockleburs under a microscope during a 1941 hunting trip. His biomimicry insight became one of the most widely used fasteners on Earth.

John Hetrick patented the airbag in 1952 after swerving to avoid a deer. It took 37 more years for a US mandate—and the Takata scandal nearly destroyed trust in the device that saves 50,000 lives a year.

From Beauchamp's 1931 Frying Pan to Fender's Stratocaster, the electric guitar's invention reshaped jazz, rock, and every genre that followed. Here's the full story.