9 Jewish Inventions: From Mr. Potato Head to the Pregnancy Test

George Lerner and Mr. Potato Head

Brooklyn-born inventor and graphic designer George Lerner (1922–1995) created the iconic Mr. Potato Head toy, delighting children for over 70 years. Lerner initially developed a set of plastic face pieces in 1949, including hats, feet, arms, ears, and noses, which could be pressed into fruits or vegetables to create playful characters. However, post-World War II consumers were hesitant to waste food for entertainment. Lerner eventually sold the concept for $5,000 to a cereal company, intending it as a promotional giveaway, but later resold it to toy manufacturer Hasbro.

Hasbro officially launched Mr. Potato Head in 1952, followed by Mrs. Potato Head in 1953. The toy received larger parts in 1975 to meet safety regulations, and in 2021, Hasbro rebranded it as “Potato Head” for inclusivity while retaining the individual Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters.

Mr. Potato Head gained further fame through his appearances in Pixar’s Toy Story films, with Don Rickles voicing the character even posthumously in Toy Story 4 (2019) using archival recordings. The toy also spawned themed variations, such as Darth Tater, Optimus Prime-tato, Spider-Spud, and Taters of the Lost Ark.

Hans Goldschmidt and Stainless Steel

The discovery and production of steel date back to the 13th century BC, when blacksmiths realized iron became stronger after exposure to coal furnaces. Regular steel, while sturdy, suffered from weaknesses like rust and corrosion caused by environmental factors.

In 1898, Berlin-born Hans Goldschmidt (1861–1923) revolutionized steel production by inventing an aluminothermic process, known as the “thermite reaction.” This process reduced metal oxides into pure metals using aluminum, paving the way for stainless steel. By incorporating higher chromium levels, stainless steel developed excellent corrosion resistance, tensile strength, durability, and formability.

Today, stainless steel is indispensable in kitchenware, medical tools, food processing equipment, architecture, and design. It boasts hygienic properties due to its non-porous surface, which resists bacterial growth. Its shiny aesthetic appeal has led to its use in buildings, furniture, and art, while its ecological value lies in its recyclability—able to be endlessly repurposed without losing quality.

The process Hans Goldschmidt invented revolutionized the transportation, healthcare, construction, and household appliances industries with a new material that was reliable, safe, versatile, and highly recyclable.

Abraham Karem and Drones

Ever dreamed of soaring like a bird and surveying the world from above? Abraham Karem (1937–), known as the “Father of the Drone” or “Father of the UAS” (Unmanned Aircraft System), came close to making that dream a reality. Born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1937, Karem showed an early fascination with aeronautics, building model aircraft by age 14.

After relocating to Israel and later to the United States, Karem revolutionized unmanned aerial technology. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, he created his first drone for the Israeli Air Force. Later, in the U.S., he founded Leading Systems Inc. and developed the Albatross and Amber drones, which laid the groundwork for the MQ-1 Predator. This iconic drone transformed modern warfare.

Drones were initially used for military missions too dangerous, tedious, or dirty for humans. By the 21st century, drones had become essential tools across industries. Today, they serve roles in aerial photography, agriculture, environmental monitoring, law enforcement, infrastructure inspection, and even entertainment, such as drone racing on ESPN.

Karem’s groundbreaking work bridged military and civilian aviation, making drones versatile tools of innovation. His achievements have cemented his legacy as a visionary in aerospace engineering.

Edouard Benedictus and Safety Glass

Ever noticed the spiderweb-like cracks in a broken windshield? You were looking at laminated glass, commonly known as safety glass. This shatterproof material consists of layers of glass separated by thin polymer interlayers, designed to prevent the glass from shattering into dangerous fragments. The glass forms a distinctive cracking pattern upon impact, unless the force is strong enough to penetrate.

Paris-born artist and chemist Edouard Benedictus (1878–1930) invented safety glass in 1903 through serendipity. He discovered the concept after a beaker in his studio broke but retained its structure due to a nitrocellulose coating. Inspired by this, he developed “laminated glass,” which utilized celluloid between glass layers. Benedictus patented the innovation in 1909, but widespread use began during World War I. By 1919, Henry Ford introduced laminated glass in automobiles. Later advances led to the creation of polyvinyl butyral in 1936, a key material in bulletproof glass.

Safety glass has versatile applications across industries. In automobiles, it’s used for windshields and windows; in architecture, for skylights and facades. It enhances security for banks and high-risk locations and appears in marine windows and furniture designs. Benedictus’ invention combines safety, durability, and aesthetics, revolutionizing various sectors and standing as a timeless innovation.

Dean Kamen and the Segway

The Segway, described as a “self-balancing personal transporter” on its official website, was invented by Long Island-born engineer Dean Kamen (1951–). Kamen displayed an early passion for science and technology, earning over $60,000 in high school by building light and sound systems—exceeding his parents’ salaries.

While attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Kamen developed his first invention, the Auto Syringe, a medical device enabling patients to control medicine dosage at home. This invention made him a millionaire after its sale to a healthcare company.

Kamen became best known for the Segway Human Transporter, unveiled in 2001. This two-wheeled electric device utilizes computer-controlled gyroscopes and sensors to maintain balance. Users control movement by leaning forward or backward, steering with handlebars, and stopping by standing upright. The Segway’s design drew upon Kamen’s research in medical devices and stair-climbing wheelchairs.

Though initially hailed as a revolutionary transportation tool, the Segway didn’t achieve the widespread popularity predicted. Today, Segway Tours have become a unique way to explore tourist destinations, parks, and landmarks. The Segway is also widely used in law enforcement and security, with over 150 U.S. agencies employing them for street patrols or airport operations.

Kamen’s invention remains a recognizable innovation in personal mobility.

Arthur Korn and the Fax Machine

In 1906, Arthur Korn achieved the groundbreaking feat of transmitting a photograph of Crown Prince William across 1,800 kilometers, marking a revolutionary leap in telecommunication. His invention, the “Bildtelegraph,” not only paved the way for modern fax technology but also saw practical applications, such as transmitting photographs and fingerprints for the German police.

Korn (1870–1945), a brilliant German physicist, mathematician, and inventor, began studying physics and mathematics in Leipzig at age 15 and became a law lecturer at the University of Munich by 25. Fascinated by the idea of transmitting images over long distances, he developed the foundational technology for the modern fax machine, which scans documents, converts them into digital signals, and transmits them over phone lines to be printed at the destination.

Fax machines rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming essential tools in offices worldwide due to their rapid transmission, affordability, and ease of use

However, their popularity and use began to fade in the 2000’s as more efficient and cost-effective digital communication methods using the internet, word processing, and email, gained prominence. By the 2010’s, fax machines had largely been phased out in most industries, although they continue to play a role in fields like healthcare and legal services, where secure document exchange remains a priority.

Ehud Shabtai and Uri Levine, Waze

The late 1990’s saw an influx of GPS systems plugged into your car’s cigarette lighter and ten years later, smart phone-based GPS systems were common. In 2009, Ehud Shabtai and Uri Levine took navigation one step further and became multi-millionaires in the process.

Both are co-founders of Waze, a navigation application they sold to Google in 2013 for over $1.1 billion.

Ehud Shabtai developed the idea for Waze after receiving a GPS system from a friend. He decided to create an app that would soon be a free crowd sourced, real-time traffic navigation system where users share details about speed cameras and traffic conditions.

Uri Levine (1965-) later joined as a co-founder, contributing his marketing and business acumen. Together, they transformed Waze into a groundbreaking navigation app that was in such demand and so popular that it was ultimately coveted and bought by Google.

Waze relies on its users, called “Wazers,” to contribute crowdsourced data and share information about traffic, accidents, road closures, speed traps, etc. Data is collected as users drive with the app open. Time sensitive data calculates the fastest and most efficient routes, considering current traffic conditions and potential delays. The app provides voice-guided navigation, helping drivers reach their destinations while avoiding traffic jams or hazards. Wazers actively report incidents, update road information, edit maps to improve accuracy, find cheap gas stations, share their ETAs with friends, and integrate with music streaming apps.

Currently, Waze boasts immense popularity, with more than 140 million active users worldwide each month. Operating across 185 countries, it stands out as one of the largest community-driven navigation platforms.

Ida Rosenthal and the Bra

Since ancient times, women’s clothing somewhat tried to attempt breast support, from ancient Roman and Greek straps known as strophium, to Middle Age whalebone undergarments, to 19^th Century corsets.

The modern bra, however, can be credited to Ida Rosenthal (1886–1973) and her husband William, who revolutionized women’s undergarments. They crafted bras that conformed to the body’s natural contours, departing from the restrictive, flattening designs of the flapper era. Innovations included creating bras in various sizes and introducing maternity bras, establishing their company, Maidenform, as a leading brand in the industry.

Rosenthal, born in Tsarist Russia, emigrated to Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1904, where she married William and began work as a seamstress. Together, they ran a dressmaking shop during the flapper era, when fashion favored a boyish silhouette. Many women bound their chests with plain cloth strips to achieve a flat-chested look. Rosenthal’s team reimagined this primitive undergarment into bras that supported and complemented the body’s natural shape. Their design evolved into versions with supportive cups, a back hook, and silk iterations sold for a dollar each.

The Maiden Form Brassiere Company officially launched, introducing bras in different sizes and earning $4.5 million annually by 1938. A bold advertising campaign in the late 1940s featured women wearing Maidenform bras while engaged in everyday activities. This initiative ran for 20 years, propelling the brand to international fame and transforming women’s fashion.

Selmar Aschheim and Bernhard Zondek, the Pregnancy Test

Before the advent of modern pregnancy tests, early methods involved mixing urine with wheat, barley seeds, or wine to observe specific reactions. These rudimentary techniques gave way to more scientific approaches with the groundbreaking work of Selmar Aschheim (1878–1965) and Bernhard Zondek (1891–1966), who developed a test that was 98% accurate.

Aschheim, a Berlin-born physician, earned his medical degree in 1902 from the University of Freiburg. Specializing in gynecological histology and hormone research, he served as the director of the laboratory at the Charité Gynecological Clinic in Berlin. Zondek, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Wronke, Germany (now in Poland), completed his medical degree in 1919 at the age of 28. Despite their contrasting positions—Aschheim heading his own lab and Zondek newly graduated—their collaboration in 1928 led to one of the first effective pregnancy tests, the Aschheim-Zondek (A-Z) test.

Their discovery emerged during the “gold rush era of hormones” in the 1920s, a period of intense exploration into the hormonal functions of the body. The A-Z test identified human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone present in the urine of pregnant women, which instructs the body to prepare for a fetus. Initially, the test involved injecting mice and later rabbits, leading to the phrase “the rabbit died” when a pregnancy was confirmed.

The insights gained from the A-Z test not only revolutionized pregnancy detection but also laid the groundwork for the home pregnancy tests we use today. What was once thought to be a mix of hormones released from the anterior pituitary is now recognized as the single hormone hCG, a critical marker for pregnancy.

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