Top 5 Inventions That Save Lives

The world is full of life saving inventions, so many of them, that we sometimes forget to stop and appreciate. The last century has furthered the cause of mankind more than previous recorded history rolled into one. The 5 top inventions that have saved countless lives should be pondered and remembered.

1. LifeStraw

   Tens of millions of people in third world nations are subject to impure water conditions that cause death, destruction and disease. Aiding and assisting one thirsty person at a time was not an option, so from the mind of Danish inventor, Torben Vestergaard, LifeStraw was born. This innovated way to purify water is a lightweight straw that may be worn around the neck or carried in the pocket. Purifying water on contact with the straw, LifeStraw has and will continue to save countless lives around the world.

2. Seatbelts

   Another thumbs-up to the Scandinavians for their idea to invent and install the first seatbelts into their 1849 line of Volvos. The first American to patent the seatbelt product was New Yorker Edgar J. Claghorn in 1885, and the rest is history. Swedish innovator, Nils Bohlin made the patent for the first modern seatbelt and it was installed by Volvo is 1959. Most of the modern world requires the use of a seatbelt for driver and passengers, and this safety request has saved millions of lives on the road. No matter how late you are or how distracted, never turn the key until you have buckled-up.

3. CAT Scans

   The CAT scan machine, also known as a CT, is a high-tech medical imaging machine to detect tissue abnormalities, internal bleeding and fractures in a detailed 3D format. CAT, or Computer Axial Tomography, is used for accurate and immediate feedback for medical specialists and surgeons to get the total body picture of a patient. Painless and a comfortable ride, patients lie on their back for a slow and easy glide through the CT tunnel from top to bottom. Without the precision and timely results from the CT unit, life and death could hang in the balance. Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield invented this life saving hospital machine in 1972 and it has revolutionized the speed of treatment with an instant diagnosis.

4. Pacemakers

   The first pacemaker was created by Canadian engineer, John Hopps, in 1950. The heart pacemaker was Hopps’ idea to stop fibrillation via an implanted electrical pulse. The modern-day pacemaker has saved many lives by analyzing the heart’s electrical system and sending charges to help the heart function properly. Though the heart does beat on its own, the pacemaker regulates the counts, providing live-giving protection against weakness and sudden death.

5. Vaccinations

   The concept of the vaccine was invented by English physician, Edward Jenner, in the late 19th century. Dr. Jenner observed the behavior of dairymaids and their resiliency to getting cowpox due their exposure to a cow’s utter. The usage of the vaccine is to inject a small and harmless dosage of an infectious disease to allow the body to build up it’s own immunity. Vaccine inoculations have been used to eradicate and/or reduce cowpox, smallpox, the flu, polio, hepatitis, cholera and rabies making this English invention the key component to staving off deadly disease in the 20th century.