1. The Shipping Container: The Box That Built Global Trade

Invented in the 1950s by Malcolm McLean, the standardized shipping container revolutionized global commerce. Before this, loading and unloading ships was a chaotic, labor-heavy mess. Now? Goods can move across continents with insane efficiency—and it’s all thanks to a metal box most people never think twice about.

2. The Barcode: Silent Hero of the Supermarket

Those little black-and-white stripes on every product? They’ve saved billions of hours and dollars in retail and logistics. First scanned in 1974 (on a pack of gum), barcodes made inventory tracking instant, checkout lines faster, and supply chains smarter.