Engineering touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives, from the locks on our doors to the televisions we watch and even the alarm clocks that wake us up!

But have you ever wondered how these items were invented or the science behind them? Here, we present seven everyday items and the engineering that went into building them.

1.Alarm Clock

The first mechanical alarm clock was patented by French inventor Antoine Redier in 1847. The humble alarm clock uses a variety of engineering principles, including mechanical, electrical, and embedded systems.

The formulation of toothpaste includes fluoride and many chemicals and dyes, the mixture and principles of which are based on chemical engineering.

2.Toothpaste

The flush toilet, one of the most significant inventions for public health and sanitation, is the result of complex interdisciplinary engineering, drawing on physics, chemistry, and material science.

3. Toilets

Sir John Harington is credited with inventing the first modern flush toilet in 1592. Today’s toilets use gravitational force and water to efficiently wash away human waste.

Designed to prevent body odour, or sweating, the first deodorant was patented sometime in the 1860s.

4.Deodorants/ Detergents

There is a lot of chemical engineering involved in the manufacturing, formulation and combination of ingredients that make you smell fresh!

Duct tape was first invented during World War II to keep moisture out of ammunition cases.

5. Duct tape

As per ‘Engineer Guy’ Bill Hammock, it has three components — plastic backing, adhesive, and cloth reinforcement. The engineering behind this seemingly innocuous tape enabled its use on Apollo 13 too!

The entry to your homes is guarded thanks to this fine engineering invention. This important security device is based on physics.

6. Lock

Locks have a mechanism and pins or tumblers inside them, which correspond with the notches or ridges on a key.

The first memory foam was actually developed for NASA astronauts by an aeronautical engineer called Charles Yost in the 1960s.

7. Memory Foam Mattresses

The visco-elastic foam was made to increase the shock absorbency and relieve the stress caused by the high gravitational force. In the 1980s, it was used for mattresses, and today, it is even used in pillows and shoes!