Ordinary Things That Have Changed Beyond Recognition

Everything changes over time. With every new day, our world gets enriched with new technologies; familiar objects acquire new functions and unexpected add-ons. More often than not, we find it impossible to guess what those things used to look like when they were first invented.

TV sets

The first mass production of televisions was set up in Germany in 1934. A large wooden box with a tiny screen and fuzzy picture used to cost the buyer $445 (equivalent to nearly $7,000 today).

Sunglasses

The first sunglasses were meant to protect you not from the sun but from so-called "snow blindness." Residents of the Far North used to make them entirely of wood, bone, or other nontransparent material, leaving narrow slits for the eyes: this helped to preserve one’s vision when snow surfaces became blindingly reflective.

Digital cameras

To capture a beautiful moment with digital clarity, we can simply press a button on our cell phone or reach for a small and versatile camera.

Toilet paper

Paper first began to be used for sanitary and hygienic purposes in China, circa 589 AD.But toilet paper only started to be produced commercially in 1857 (back then, it used to be cut into squares and packed in bundles). As for the first toilet rolls that more or less resembled what we have now, they appeared in the 1880s in Britain. In those days, they were called "paper curlers."

Washing machines

The first washing machine was patented in 1851. It only vaguely resembled modern devices and had to be operated by means of a hand-crank. There also used to be some early contraptions that could wash 10-15 shirts at a time by harnessing the power of 10 mules!