1.
Process of natural oil refining done by Ignacy Łukasiewicz -and the actual oil industry
That dude thought it was a nice idea to pump the black stuff from the depth of the Earth and change it into something useful. He invented gasoline, and a lot of other useful stuff. He was also the owner of the first oil drill in the word.
Why should you care?
...well everyone loves driving, right?
2.
Manual mine detector
Józef Kosacki (1909–1990) was an officer in the Polish Army during World War II. Like many soldiers at the time he really did not fancy losing parts legs or life. With this in mind Kosacki invented the Mine detector (Polish) Mark I in 1942. It was the first mine detector that could be carried around and operated by one man and the Mark 4c version remained in service with the British Army until 1995. Later versions are just a follow up of the previous one.
Why should you care?
Well, you probably don't have to if you live in Chicago or Warsaw. But if you live in Kabul you may find the idea of mine detection handy.
3.
The Bulletproof Vest
It’s true that the Chinese or the Koreans or somebody messed about with the idea of bulletproof vests in the 1850s but the first true bulletproof vest of the kind you would recognize today was invented by a Polish priest in Chicago in 1893.
Kazimierz Żegleń was born near Tarnopol (now Ternopil in western Ukraine) in 1869. He moved to Chicago where he had been a priest for over 40 000 people. If he wasn't praying, he tried to invent a bulletproof vest. Noone really knows why, but I guess because people in Chicago carried a lot of guns around and weren't that friendly.
Why should you care?
If you are in the army, you do care. Current model in use is only a follow up to the original.
4.
Radiation - the idea that some of the elements in nature are the source of ionizing radiation and that it can be used for both medicine and killing
Marie Skłodowska-Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist, famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only woman to win in two fields, and the only person to win in multiple sciences.
Her achievements included a theory of radioactivity (a term that she coined), techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes, and the discovery of two elements, polonium and radium. Under her direction, the world's first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms, using radioactive isotopes. She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and in Warsaw, which remain major centres of medical research today. During World War I, she established the first military field radiological centres.
When she was dying, she was already aware of the fate radiation brings to the world, and that it will be used for nuclear weapons just as much as for medical purposes...if not more.
Why should you care?
Well if you don't by now, I cannot convince you.
5.
First effective vaccine against epidemic typhus
Invented by Polish born biologist and chemist dr Rudolf Weigl many years ago. Another thing is that dr Weigl used typhus research to help rescue Jews during the WWII - he claimed he needs volunteers to test the vaccine.
6.
Silicone processing
Jan Czochralski invented method which is till now used to process industrial silicone for electronics.
Why should you care?
Can you imagine not having a laptop now?
Or not using Facebook?
7.
Graphen processing
Speaking of computers. Another generation of material used for the same purpose in electronics was invented in Poland too. To be exact we invented how to cheaply produce it - and it makes it global technology now.
I always claimed that Polish equivalent of Samsung could be created based on it, but hell, we sell the material globally and who knows, maybe these dudes will invent something more?
Why should you care?
Do you want to have a laptop which you can roll into your pocket? And cheap one?
Soon you will.
8.
Digital reading apps for blind people - digital Braille
ZZ Braille Reader is used by many people now. Done by young Polish student Karol Stosik who won Imagine Cup 2012
Overally Polish students won Imagine Cup for 21 times now with far more things than I can remember.
Why should you care?
Yeah I know it intimidates. Polish women are one of the most beautiful in the world and the whole population smart. So if you want to have smart kids, you should get some Polish genes.
There are plenty of other things we invented or work on.
We don't have leading global technology businesses yet, but remember that 25 years ago we had been a communist state with empty shelves on the shops.
Happy Independence Day to all Polish people :)
I wish you plenty of ideas, courage and hope.
Let's unite for technology.
