31. Refrigeration
- Its Use: To Keep Food/Drink Cool, Helping Them Last Longer
Today, we take Refrigeration for granted. However, refrigeration today is nothing like it was 200 years ago. Snow & Ice harvesting was common for centuries, which people would do to cool things in storehouses. The more iconic form of ice we know from the American West used to come in a massive block that even in major heat, would not melt quickly due to its size. This would allow ice to be used by people for weeks or months at a time.

Eventually, General Electric became one of the first companies to sell an in-home refrigerator, beginning in 1911. Then in 1927, they’d make the first refrigerator to completely run on electricity. However, their rival Frigidaire somehow would synthesize freon. Of course, Freon helps refrigerators be much safer for the home. It’s inside refrigeration machines to this day. Today, our modern form of refrigeration is amazing and one of our greatest scientific breakthroughs, without question.