The Netherlands is a small country but plays a significant role in the history of major inventions.
1. Submarine
The concept of the submarine was first conceived by William Bourne (an Englishman), but the first navigable and operational submarine was constructed by Dutch inventor Cornelis Drebbel in the 1620s.
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Drebbel worked for the Royal Navy of England, and the submarine was tested on the River Thames. Its exterior was made of oiled leather stretched over a wooden frame, with oars for propulsion. Drebbel designed the final model with six oars and could carry 16 passengers, submerging for 3 hours at a depth of 4.6 meters.
2. Telescope
The telescope was invented in the Netherlands, one year before Galileo Galilei used it to observe the stars. The patent submitted by Hans Lippershey and Jacob Metius in 1608 is the first documented mention of the telescope. It operated through simple tubes, with a convex lens and a concave lens.
3. Microscope
The microscope was invented in the Netherlands in the 16th or 17th century, but the exact inventor is still a matter of debate. The most frequently mentioned is Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, although a simpler version existed as early as 1595, created by Zacharias and Hans Janssen.
Van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope consisted of a single convex lens. This device could magnify objects up to 237 times their actual size, while previous devices could only achieve 30 times magnification.
Microscope invented in the Netherlands in the 16th or 17th century. (Illustration).
4. Eye Test
The Dutch have made many inventions related to vision. The eye test, in which individuals must read lines of letters from large to small, was invented by Herman Snellen in 1862 and is known as the Snellen chart.
5. Fire Hose
The modern coiled fire hose was invented by Jan van der Heyden in 1673. He also developed an advanced pumping system, allowing firefighters to improve their effectiveness in extinguishing large fires.
6. Olympic Flame
In 1928, architect Jan Wils, working at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, designed a tall tower from which smoke emanated. Wils aimed for the effect of smoke rather than fire, as it would be more visible during the day. Later, fire became a part of the Olympics, and by 1936, the flame was used at the Berlin Olympics.
7. High-Speed Camera
This invention came from Dutch race car driver Maus Gatsonides. The device was activated by two rubber tubes that started a stopwatch as soon as the car’s wheels hit them. In 1958, these devices began to be manufactured for public use.
8. CD and Other Media Devices
The CD was developed by Sony (with help from Philips) in Eindhoven. The world’s first CD was produced in 1979, and the first song released on CD was “The Visitor” by ABBA in 1982. Other products invented by Philips in collaboration with other companies include the cassette tape (1963), DVD, laser disc, and Blu-Ray.
9. Bluetooth
Bluetooth was invented by Dr. Jaap Haartsen in the 1990s while working for the Swedish company Ericsson. Haartsen named it Bluetooth to honor Viking King Harald Bluetooth. He received only 1,000 euros for his invention… Bluetooth provides short-range wireless connectivity for mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices. Today, billions of products integrate Bluetooth to connect with other wireless devices.
10. The Dawn of WiFi
One of the greatest technological breakthroughs in recent decades is wireless data sharing, and WiFi (named after the combination of HiFi (High Fidelity) and wireless) is at the center of that leap.
WiFi was created by a Dutch project in 1997; Vic Hayes and Cees Links are known as the fathers of WiFi. While the Dutch played a crucial role in creating WiFi, the technology we know today was actually developed by the Australian company CSIRO.
11. Artificial Heart
In 1957, Willem Johan Kolff oversaw the implantation of an artificial heart in a dog, allowing it to survive for 90 minutes. Kolff established the Artificial Organs Department at the University of Utah, and in December 1982, his team implanted an artificial heart in patient Barney Clark, allowing him to live for 112 days.
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12. Stock Market
The sale of bonds by cities and states has been occurring since the 13th century, but the origins of modern stock exchanges trace back to 1602. The corporate stock market emerged alongside the establishment of the Dutch East India Company (VOC).
In 1609, VOC shareholder Isaac Le Maire became the world’s first recorded short seller. A few decades later, the Dutch also experienced the first stock market crash in history, with the infamous Tulip Bubble of 1637.
13. Central Banking
If you Google “the first central bank in the world”, Sweden’s Riksbank will appear. However, an increasing number of scholars argue that this honor should go to the Bank of Amsterdam, founded in 1609, six decades before Riksbank.
Fully owned by the city of Amsterdam, this was the first public bank to offer accounts that could not be converted to cash. As the world’s first true central bank, it paved the way for many important milestones, including the first European banknote in 1661.
14. Laser Disc Technology
In 1891, Philips was established in Eindhoven and became involved in several important communication developments through Dutch inventions. Philips collaborated with the American media group MCA to produce the laser disc in 1969.
Laserdisc was the precursor to CD and DVD technology, which Philips collaborated with Sony to launch respectively in 1979 and 1995. This, in turn, paved the way for the creation of BluRay technology.
15. Speed Skating
The Dutch invented this sport in the 13th century. The harsh winters of the Netherlands and many interconnected waterways provided the perfect testing ground for speed skating. The most famous speed skating competition takes place in Friesland, passing through 11 historic cities of the province.
16. Electric Shaver
In 1939, Philips introduced the first electric shaver, Philishave. Since then, over 400 million shavers have been sold.
17. Four-Wheel Drive
In 1903, the four-wheel drive system was first applied to the Dutch brand Spyker cars. Today, four-wheel drive vehicles can be found everywhere. As seen, Dutch inventions have played a significant role in shaping the modern world.
