The world as we know it today is a result of generations of people and technology transforming and adapting it. Due to this, so many of the things that we take for granted as a part of our everyday lives had previous iterations and histories that precede them, many of which may now seem strange or unthinkable. It’s worth taking a look back, if not just to understand how those who will come after us might think of our time when they do the same.
Double-Decker Buses Were Tested For Tipping Over By Lifting Them
Before wind tunnels and crash test dummies, there were lifts. Doubledecker buses, the signature form of public transport in London, would be attempted to be flipped using a lift to test their road safety capabilities and to ensure that despite their size and dimensions wouldn’t easily be able to be flipped over.
Iron lung used before the invention of the polio vaccine
In 1928, an iron lung respirator was used for the first time at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Although the technology had been originally developed for the treatment of victims of coal gas poisoning, no other device is more associated with polio than the iron lung, which was used for the treatment of respiratory failure caused by the disease.
Before Videogames There Were Old School Arcades Where You Could Play physical Games
Nowadays, video games can hold hundreds of impressively detailed and complex games without requiring any physical copy. But before there were Playstation 5s, there were game arcades where you could try your hand at a shooting gallery, play pinball, or skeet ball, however, there was only one game per machine.
Tupperware parties were all the rage
Tupperware parties were once a frequent event in the lives of domestic Americans. They would collect at a hosting family’s home where they would be showed all the benefits of the Tupperware and then sold the product so that they may be used to take home all their party leftovers.
During the second world war, due to air raids, many had bed cages installed
During the Second World War, British citizens were under frequent bombing attacks and air raids. Almost always these occurred at night and so resulted in it becoming unsafe to sleep in your own bed. As a solution, these bed cages were invented to prevent falling debris from falling and crushing the sleeper.
An Early Example Of An Exercise Machine From The Victorian-Era
Before were as commonplace as cafes, there were those pioneering fitness fanatics and believers who invented the machines that we know use daily. Leg curlers may now be a part of your daily routine, but they were once just a prototype in the sketchbook of Victorian doctor and inventor Gustav Zander.
This diving suit was used in 1920s France and even included a telephone
The deep sea has always been a source of fascination for us human beings, exploration seeming so tantalizingly possible and yet out of reach. For this reason, we have as a species long sought to explore the seafloor with diving suits. In the early 20th century there was tremendous interest in building those exploratory suits, including the Neufeldt-Kuhnke which spawned yet more variations.
Before Online Databases The FBI Kept Physical Files Of All Fingerprints
We often don’t think of the logistical nightmare of keeping the records of an entire population before the advent of computerized filing systems. It once was that those records required physical filing cabinets and needed to be organized by hand and adequately cataloged and preserved.
In 1930s London, Sheep Were Used As Natural Lawnmowers
The parks of London, despite being within a sprawling metropolis of brick and tar, are huge expanses of green in the midst of the city. Such spaces require maintenance and maintenance takes time and manpower, but the city had a light bulb moment and brought sheep into the parks to ‘mow’ the lawns and provide maintenance to grassy parks.
in 1983 new york city, U.S.A. these young men show off their boombox
Well before there were iPods, iPhones, or Bluetooth speakers there were boomboxes. The transportable cassette tape player, usually with radio included, was introduced in the 1970s and quickly became associated with youth and urban culture. The boombox became a staple of street scenes in New York and an emblem for the music culture of the time.
in the 1950s, Early blow dryers, or “Bonnet Dryers” were invented
Blow-dryers are now household products that are used in many different people’s daily grooming routines. However, when they were initially used they were far too large for home use, resembling a bonnet that fits over the head, they required hours of use to get the desired effect – resulting in a hair salon culture that we still see somewhat today.
women in the U.S.A. painted their legs to appear as if they were wearing stockings
The Second World War was a time of truly great strife across the world and not only those on the front lines or occupied territories suffered. The rationing required for the war effort meant that many people had to forego things they had long considered essentials, such as nylon stockings for women. As a creative solution, some entrepreneurs offered painted ‘stockings’ to create the appearance without the need for nylon.
In 1915 in new Mexico, the first drive-in theatre was invented
Drive-ins are now almost an alien concept but in the 1950s they were a huge part of American culture. They offered movie-goers the ability to enjoy the movies outdoors with some sense of privacy in their cars, making it an ideal date activity. Initially, they used massive speakers but eventually developed to have smaller speakers that would be placed next to each parking spot.
in 1980 atari held the first video game tournament, it attracted over 10,000 contestants
E-sports are one of the fastest-growing competitive industries, but back in the early days of video games they were mostly seen as the purview of the dorky and didn’t garner much attention from the media – however, even the first-ever e-sport tournament, which was held by Atari, managed to attract more than 10,000 participants which was a sure sign of things to come.
in 1887 the Stockholm telephone tower connected 5,500 telephone lines high above the city.
In 1886 the capital city of Sweden, Stockholm, had more telephones than any other city in the world. However, there was the question of where to house all those telephone lines and how to run them across the city. Before underground lines were commonly used the Stockholm General Telephone Company built a massive telephone tower that loomed over the city.
In San Francisco in 1919, an old car is seen moving an entire home
Even in major city centers in the U.S., life was not easy in the early 20th century. This often led to much movement between cities and states while looking for better opportunities. However, many folks didn’t have the resources to create new homes where they moved and so would sometimes need to move their entire homes with them when they relocated.
Roller Skates were invented in 1743 and went through many transformations
Roller skates were a common sight in Europe throughout the last three hundred years. Both as a way to enjoy yourself and as a mode of transport. These roller skates were made for faster commuting, invented in 1910 by Edvard Petrini, they operate on pedals much like bicycles.
Concorde operated from 1976 until 2003, the first form of commercial supersonic travel
Concorde is one of the few examples of technology being left behind for being too advanced for its time. The planes allowed for faster than the speed of sound air travel, able to fly between London and New York in just 3 hours. Unfortunately, the planes proved to be too unpredictable and their use was discontinued.
The Texaco doodlebug was a gasoline tanker truck used in the 1930s, U.S.A.
The Texaco doodlebug was a curved oil tanker truck used in 1930s America by the Texaco oil company. While the doodlebugs were functional and were used to carry gasoline to and from gas stations they were predominantly a publicity stunt in an attempt by the company to create a more futuristic and forward-looking brand.
the Robo-Vac in 1959 was a precursor to today’s Roomba, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner
The Robo-Vac was unveiled in 1959 as a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that didn’t require any user input outside of being switched. However, it had no internal computing power and so would frequently get stuck in corners. It was unveiled in Moscow, in a showcase of the future of technology and so may very well have been well-disguised propaganda.
Before the invention of radar, defense forces would depend on listening devices
Radar really was a game-changer in the battle for air supremacy and the capability for a defense force to adequately prepare and respond to an attack by air. Before its use listening devices that amplified the sounds in the sky had to be relied on to warn of approaching aircraft.
To patrol the Lincoln tunnel in New York, police used small thin carts, 1955
Many New Yorkers have wondered what those tracks on either side of the Lincoln tunnel were used for. Before traffic cameras, the police had to rely on their eyes and maneuverability to patrol tunnels. As such these slim carts were installed so that the police could monitor traffic within the tunnel.
In 1963, nearly 29.7 percent of consumers in the US had milk delivered
It once was that milkmen were fundamental parts of American life for great swathes of the country. There was once a time when the milkman was known by all the locals and formed a part of the community. However, due to the increased access to supermarkets and decent home refrigeration, they are no longer necessary.
a “knocker-upper” who used a long stick to wake sleeping people
Before there iPhone alarms, or even alarm clocks for that matter, there were knocker-uppers who would wake the city and towns in the morning. Often they were policemen just making some extra money while patrolling on their beats. The knocker-uppers would do as their name suggests and knock on windows to wake up their sleeping patrons.
A “Burlak” would be someone who hauled ships using harnesses in 17th to 20th century Russia
In Russia, they had their own way of using human beings to do what machines now do so easily for us. Burlaks are people who are employed by boat owners to pull smaller boats to dock or to assist them in maneuvering through canals. Frequently this would be done via a harness attached to the burlak and them pulling using their own bodyweight.
Two Women use portable bathhouses to change their clothes, coney island beach 1938
In a time with far more modesty when it came to public dresscodes, women needed a place to change their clothing discreetly on the beach. Sometimes the public bathhouses would simply be too far away or occupied and so these portable bathhouses were invented to allow them to change with some privacy.
A Fairchild K-Series camera would be used by aerial photographers during world war II
This gigantic camera was the size it is to allow it to zoom in on massive distances well before digital cameras were around, making huge lenses necessary. The huge cameras were used for aerial espionage and record collection during World War II. Much like a gunner, another passenger would be in the plane and take pictures of the ground below.
A man is seen teaching his grandchildren to swim in 1906 using a device to stop them from drowning
Teaching children to swim can be a tricky business, to do it properly necessitates putting them in water deep to swim in and therefore deep in enough to drown in. One solution to this problem before the invention of floaties was to use harnesses attached to a stick that an adult would hold alongside the swimming children.
Monocycles were motorized monowheels and were thought to be a viable form of transportation
Monocycles now appear ridiculous to us and it would be fair to assume that they were either a joke invention or used strictly for leisure. However despite their obvious restriction and danger when it comes to turning and speed, they were seriously considered a viable form of transport during the late 19th century.
The Lancia Stratos Zero Stops traffic when taken for a spin in Turin, Italy in 1970
The Lancia Stratos Zero was known as an incredibly beautiful car, even being featured in Michael Jackson’s music videos. However, due to its minuscule size and wedge shape, it would prove to be too dangerous to be road-worthy. But at one time it was a seriously considered car design.
The Michelin man in an early incarnation is seen on an advertising tour in 1926
Before TVs were commonplace and billboards were seldom seen outside of major city centers and if a business wanted to advertise they would need to tour. As such mascots would be an important part of marketing, this image shows an earlier incarnation of the Michelin Man which would tour to advertise the brand.
in crowded industrialized cities babies were sometimes put in “health cages”
A major problem in large industrialized cities is the congestion of people all living within the same area. This can make access to sunshine and fresh air difficult. As a solution, though with hindsight an insane one, baby cages were used to allow infants to be attached to the side of buildings giving them sunshine and air.
The incredibly unsafe theme park ride “The Rotor ride” flipped people upside down
While the theme parks of the past are not particularly well known for their safety precautions, the “Rotor Ride” is decidedly a terrible idea for anyone suffering from motion sickness or wanting not to become fatally wounded by being flung across the theme park. That being said, we can’t say it doesn’t look fun.
Airline Stewardess uniforms from the 1960s would be considered outrageous today
In today’s world of equal rights and recognition of the dehumanizing and objectifying impact that certain perceptions of women can have, the above uniform would never fly. That terrible pun being said, there was once a time when women were forced to wear exactly this kind of workwear.
During World War II, Anderson Shelters Were Used To Protect British Citizens From German Bombs
The bombing that the German Luftwaffe inflicted upon the citizens of the United Kingdom was one of the most brutal campaigns of civilian strikes in history. In order to protect themselves, many had Anderson shelters installed in their homes. The shelter was a simple steel structure that would be half-buried in the dirt, able to withstand a significant amount of blast force and weight.
Wing Walkers Show Off Their Incredible Daring In The Roaring Twenties
Before there were televisions, people had to be far more daring to entertain themselves and the masses. It had to be newsworthy for it to garner the attention of the public. This lead to a rise in daring escapades and daredevils who attempted to become a household, or die trying
The Truly Terrifying Earlier Incarnations Of Mickey And Minnie Mouse
While Mickey and Minnie Mouse are now world-famous cartoon mascots of the Disney company and have come to represent all the family-friendly joy of that company, their previous incarnation was less pleasant on the eye and was a bit more mean spirited and mischief orientated.
The first recorded phone call was in 1973 on a massive Motorola prototype
Smartphones are ubiquitous in modern life, it is estimated that 5.27 billion people now have a cell phone – including 97% of Americans. The genesis of this technological movement began with a phone call between an employee of Motorola, Martin Cooper, and their rival company Bell Labs. Apparently, he said, “I’m ringing you just to see if my call sounds good at your end”.
Dr. Zander’s machines teach us the history of gym equipment
Dr. Gustav Zander was a pioneer of his time, recognizing the incredible potential for machinery to assist in health and longevity. Part of that attitude is due to the industrialization happening simultaneously and surrounding him. Nevertheless, Dr. Zanders built these exercise machines as he believed that physical fitness was attainable with machines and without suffering.
A street cleaner in Berlin, Germany 1907 uses an electric-powered wagon
We often think of electric cars as a relatively new invention, however, they’ve been around a lot longer than we realize. Since the late 19th-century electric vehicles have been a known and viable method of transportation, although perhaps not the fastest. This is evident in the use of electric street cleaners in early 20th century Germany.
this ingenious device was used to keep several books open and nearby for referencing
In the Biblioteca Palafoxiana in Puebla, Mexico this device is housed. In a sense, it allows for a library browsing experience much like a modern internet browsing experience. It works much like how ‘tabs’ are utilized in internet browsers to allow us to open multiple pages and have them in close proximity allowing for easy and quick switching between the multiple “sites”.
Airships And Zeppelins Were Thought To Be The Future Of Commercial Air Travel
Before the Hindenburg disaster and similar accidents took the wind out of their sails, airships were on their way to becoming the best way to travel. Able to be built with huge entertainment areas while still offering the comforts of a cruise ship, the only downside came to be that they were catastrophically flammable.
The Fiat Factory In Turin Used To Have A Test Track On Its Roof
The folks at Fiat had a brilliant idea to utilize all that empty and unused space that was a building’s rooftop by constructing a rooftop racetrack on top of their factory in Turin. The Lingotto factory became a favorite tourist destination and doubled as an ingenious marketing strategy for the car company.
Early Photoshop Was Done By Collaging Photographs Together
Photoshop and digital retouching has completely revolutionized how we consume media and what impact that media has on us. Due to the ability to manipulate images and now even videos, it’s made us more suspicious of what we are presented with. But before the practice became commonplace you could get away with a simple switcheroo, like the one above.
Microcars used to be a kind of ‘aeroscooter’ on the streets of Paris
Microcars managed to earn the name of ‘aeroscooter’ due to their often being built by aeronautical manufacturers who wanted to try their hand at land-based travel. Built as small as possible to accommodate the tiny cobbled streets of Paris and Rome, they were once considered a decidedly fashionable form of travel.
Cruise Liners Used To Have Old-Fashioned Gyms In First Class
While the practice of having gyms onboard a cruise liner is not so unusual, the styling and dress code most definitely were, at least by modern standards. Often adorned with carpeting and paneling much like a lounge, you would be required to wear clothes that were considered appropriate for public spaces.
In The 1940s, Before TV Was Invented, Radio Was Used To Bring Stories To Life And Into Your Home
Before television was invented and the most common form of home entertainment, the radio was king. The radio was not just used to transmit radio and news, but also entire dramas and plays. To bring those stories to life, radio stations would include entire sound stages to create the world where the stories took place.
Highschool Girls Show Off The Spectacular Fashion Of 1960s California
The wild styles of the 1960s and the era of psychedelia led to an explosion in self-expression, particularly after the repressive era of the 1950s in the U.S. The incredible fashion of the time found its way even into high schools as teenagers became able to define their own tastes and understanding of the world.
The First Group Selfie Ever Taken In 1920
Robert Cornelius took the first selfie in 1839 and almost 100 years, these three mustachioed gentlemen pulled off the first selfie. It took Cornelius 15 minutes of staying absolutely still to capture his selfie, at least these men had each other to kill time with while they waited to make history.
the automatic “Human washing machine” was invented in the 1970s
Sanyo Electric’s ultrasonic bath, or ‘the human washing machine,’ was invented to automatically wash and rinse the human body. It was first exhibited at the Japan World Exposition and it seemed as if it would take over the world. It was a 2 meters tall pod that promised to clean, massage, and dry the user in just 15 minutes.
The Empire State Building in 1942 Shows Off An Empty New York Skyline
We have come to know the New York skyline as a cultural touchstone the world over, a symbol of immense industry, wealth, and capability; the huge buildings earned the name skyscraper. But this image from 1942 shows just how alone the Empire State Building once stood, tall in the New York sky.
Mildred Burke Wrestled 200 Men in Her Career And Only Lost To One
Mildred Burke has been showing off the strength of women since the 1930s, the esteemed bodybuilder and wrestler was only ever defeated by one man. It’s due to pioneers such as herself that today we have women’s sports in the Olympics and that there is space for women on podiums across the world.
Passengers In Transit Reading Newspapers Instead Of Their Phones
It is a frequent complaint against our modern society that we don’t engage with the world around us as our noses are constantly buried in our smartphones. However, this image shows that we have never been so different – whether it be newspapers, books, or stone tablets we crave distraction and information.
Mobile Libraries Were a Common Way To Bring Education To Remote Towns in the early 20th century
When there was no internet, the only way to transmit information, especially to remote places, was by physically taking the information there. As such, mobile libraries were used to courier education across the country to the more removed places where people were living without access to books.
Before There Were Smartphone Cameras, Photobooths Were Used To Take Cheap Photographs
It’s easy to take the fact that we now always have a camera in our pocket for granted. It has been a constant in our lives for the last 20 years. But before there were pocket-based cameras, there were photo booths. They allowed people to take pictures cheaply and quickly in a time before smartphones.
Office Computers in The 1970s were large and bulky, taking up most of the desk
Computers have now become so slim and small, we can easily fit into our pockets a machine with the processing power that is far more than is present in the entire pictured room. It once was that computers were called desktops for a reason, as that was the space they took up – the whole top of the desk.
in 1926 London, A member of the Achilles Serre LAdies Brigade Comes to the rescue
Believe it or not, there were woman firefighters long before there were woman voters. This image clearly portrays the judgments and requirements that were still very much present at the time – even a brief glimpse shows just how revealing and insufficient this uniform was to protect these firefighters. It was more important to conform to societal standards than it was to adequately protect these women.
The Newsboy Strike Of 1899 Brought The News Industry To Its Knees And Forced Better Wages
Believe it or not, the musical “Newsies” is based on the real story of the street urchins of New York who sold newspapers to make a living and went up against the newspaper industry to protest price hikes. Unbelievably the kids from the street won and were able to negotiate with the newspaper companies for better conditions.
The Newspaper Room At A Library Is Where You Would Find Old News Articles And Do Research
Now you’re just a google search away from finding almost any information in a few seconds, but before google you would need to go to your local library and search through their newspaper archives to find what you needed to know. You just had to hope that they had the specific issue you were looking for and that it had been properly cataloged.
The Day That Sweden Changed Which Side Of The Road They Drove On, 1967
In June 1967 Sweden did the unthinkable and switched driving from the left side of the road to the right. Despite public outcry, the thinking was that it would make it easier for visitors from neighbouring countries to avoid accidents, as they all drove on the right, and that it would make the roads safer as Swedish cars’ steering wheels were all on the right.
An Electric Car Being Charged In The 1890s, U.S.A
At the end of the 19th-century electric cars were at their peak of popularity. Alongside horse or steam-based transport, electric cars were the most common way to get around. Electric charging stations for electric cars actually outnumbered gas pumps and their petroleum-based cousins.
A Breast “Washer” Used In 1930s France For Firming And Rounding A Woman’s Breasts
While beauty standards change over time, one thing that will always be a constant is people’s apparent need to improve their appearance and this breast “washer” is an example of one such trend to do just that. The thinking was that through hydro-therapy the “washer” would firm and round the user’s breasts.
Opening Day Of Disneyland In 1955
Though Disney was not yet the monopolistic juggernaut that it is today, it was still a driving cultural force of the time with properties like Snow White and Mickey Mouse under their belt. Even without Star Wars Land or Marvel Cinematic Universe, the prospect of going to visit Disneyland was an exciting one for children of the time.
Sailor’s Watch Over Their Ships Cat Which Kept Away The Rats On Board
It was, and still is to some extent, very common for ships to become rat infested due to the number of humans on board and all the food that was required to be stored for long journeys. To deal with the problem, ships would employ cats to keep the rats under control, those naval cats usually quickly become a favorite of the crew.
Little Girl Holds A Penguin’s Flipper At The London Zoo, 1937
This picture demonstrates just how much the standard for childcare and animal rights has changed over the years. Though it seemed innocuous at the time, now we know that prancing with penguins like this would be dangerous for both the child and the penguin, since neither is partially good at understanding the other.