If you’re a woman with an invention in mind, don’t hesitate to pursue it. Many of the everyday items we use now are the brainchild of a woman. Check them out here.

  1. Computers: Grace Hopper along with Howard Aiken designed Harvard’s Mark I computer back in 1944. She invented the compiler that translated written language into the computer code and coined the terms “bugs” and “debugging”.
  2. The Square Paper Bag: Back before 1868, paper bags looked like envelops. That was until cotton mill worker Margaret Knight invented a machine that made them square at the bottom. A man tried to patent her design first, but she filed a lawsuit and won.
  3. Kevlar: This material is five times stronger than steel and was created by Stephanie Kwolek in the 1960s.
  4. Monopoly: A woman created The Landlord’s Game to teach the economic theory of Georgism. Her name was Elizabeth Magie and she patented the game in 1904. Thirty years later, a man named Charles Darrow revised the game and named it Monopoly.
  5. Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson invented the first manual wipers in 1903. Then in 1917 another woman Charlotte Bridgewood invented an automatic version.
  6. Disposable Diapers: Marion Donovan invented the disposable diaper back in 1951.
  7. Liquid Paper: What would we do with out liquid paper? It was a secretary by the name of Bette Nesmith Graham who secretly used paint to cover up her typing errors. She was able to perfect her invention and patent it by 1958.
  8. The Apgar Score: When a baby is born they are tested immediately after birth to see if they need immediate care. The score system used was created by Dr. Virginia Apgar.

Other cool and practical inventions by women include:

  • The dog leash
  • Circular saw
  • Signal flares
  • Submarine telescope and lamp
  • Solar house
  • Invisible glass

READ MORE: 19 Things You Might Not Know Were Invented By Women