101 Gadgets that Changed the World

The history of the gadget is both the history of invention and the history of men's lives. What man doesn't remember when he mastered the iPhone, the Swiss Army Knife, or the Walkman? While they are personal milestones, gadgets can change the course of history. How did the transistor radio create Rock and Roll, or the audio-cassette overthrow the Shah of Iran? Popular Mechanics Magazine partners with History(tm) on this two-hour special, assembling a panel of the world's most renowned tech gurus to generate the definitive list. 101 Gadgets That Changed the World is hosted by Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver) and features Popular Mechanics' James Meigs, Jim Cameron, James Dyson and others discussing the gadgets that inspired, amused or confused them. Is the combination lock the most influential gadget ever invented? The Zippo lighter? The bra? It's a fast paced countdown to Number 1. To make our list of 101, a gadget had to be something you could hold in your hands, mechanical or electronic, and a mass-produced personal item. The rest was up to the judges. Check out our selections, and let us know in the Post’s what you think!