Everything is changing in this world. Some things experience the process of change much longer, while others are replaced almost overnight. Technology has improved significantly over the past century. But it still did not meet the expectations and predictions of our ancestors. The shape of many products has changed significantly from what they used to be. Take a look and see how different they look today.
How Do You Feel About Changing the Playing Field?
Children always love to have a good time outdoors. And the wish of parents is that their children are always under their eyes. That's why playgrounds have been popular for a long time. In these two pictures, we can see the difference between a playground from the 1900s and a modern playground. Playgrounds seem much scarier for children to play in the 90s.
The toys on the old playground are almost entirely metal but also dangerously high. Imagine today's parents and how they would react if their children were there. However, the modern ones certainly look safer. It seems to us that it looks like a plastic cage and attracts children's attention. Just look at how bright the colors are. It's their mini amusement park.
Imagine Going to School With This
Old calculators looked a lot like typewriters! These calculators were usually used for simple calculations because they could not perform complex scientific tasks. In comparison, we have been wearing them to school for decades. And the biggest question was how to smuggle it into the math test. Modern calculators today can perform many more functions and perform much more complex calculations.
Which again was not enough for the people. Who will always remember to bring a calculator? That's what the people who made the new phones thought. Now the calculator is always available! No need to tire your brain. It is not clear to us today why did we learn square roots? Let the one who needed it in his daily life contact us.
We Understand Why They Didn't Shower Often Before
Showers are a big part of every bathroom. In these pictures, we see an old but luxurious shower with a bathtub and a shower faucet above. But it looks so scary to us! Like from a horror movie. The bathroom curtain is also in place to serve as a cover, which is ideal for a scene from a scary movie.
On the other hand, this example of a modern shower is entirely covered by a stylish glass box. And it has always been said that the toilet can judge the owner. Well, we assess that before, people were much more fearless! Would you bathe in the showers that used to be there? We certainly wouldn't, and we don't know anyone who would.
The Phones Did Look a Lot More Sophisticated
Phones have seen one of the biggest changes of any item on this list! Phones where you were physically restricted and couldn't move while talking. Old telephones were limited to one place in the house, depending on cables to connect them. Today we have phones that are always with us, and they have become essential assessors of every person.
Modern smartphones are portable enough to fit in your pocket. In the past, you could only call or pick up. But today, you can check everything you want! Although the development of the telephone is a major historical event, we believe it, unfortunately, alienated people. We think they would have been much happier if the phones had stayed as before.
Helmets Then and Now
American football is a popular sport. The main protection in that sport and the main prop is the football helmet. However, the helmets used in the 1900s are very different from the ones we have available today. We believe that the older helmet model also has excellent protection. How much safer does it look to you when you see a modern helmet?
We are genuinely interested in what it was like for people to wear this helmet before. It looks both better quality and safer to use. And we certainly enjoy seeing the old stuff compared to the new/modern. Old helmets are made of leather materials, while modern ones are made of a hard plastic shell with thick padding inside and a chin strap.
Just Imagine How Noisy This Was
A common occurrence in all homes. These ventilators from the 1900s really look bulky and noisy. Honestly, while looking at this picture, the sounds of an old fan are ringing in our heads. Initially, table fans were created with two blades. After a certain period, they are made of plastic. And the shoulder blades are enlarged by three or more.
Modern fans have undergone further development and have completely abolished blades. And they are incomparably smaller. People now carry them in their bags and use them on the tram or while walking. No power wires, and very convenient to use. These bladeless fans still provide cool air without any problems and are much safer and more economical than their predecessors.
The Old Version Looks Painful
Novo Nordisk invented the insulin pen delivery system in 1985. The size and structure of these pens required people with diabetes to visit the hospital to receive insulin. And now they can do it themselves - anywhere and anytime. However, we are genuinely afraid when we look at this photo. Honestly, it seems scary. What do you think?
Modern insulin pens are quite portable, much like a writing pen. This makes insulin delivery much easier, as it can be administered to the patient anywhere at the required time. Imagine if you had to use this, especially if you are afraid of the needle. We sincerely hope that everyone who has used an insulin pen has not had any severe trauma.
As Much as They Have Changed, Some Still Do Not Respect Them
Traffic lights were invented to control heavy traffic and provide a better driving experience. Some people do not respect them in many cases. However, traffic lights were not always so easy to manage. The old traffic lights required a lot of human input. Traffic light arms were controlled during the day, and gas was used at night to increase visibility.
Which is crazy to imagine today, isn't it? We don't think anyone would agree to do that today. Today, traffic lights are programmed to regulate traffic with ease. However, it is one of the most important human inventions because the roads are increasingly congested. We still have people who don't follow it at all. Safe driving should be a priority.
Cash Registers Are Like New Computers
In the 1900s, many objects were made of brass. It was the most available or the cheapest. An excellent example was the cash registers of that time. As we have already pointed out, these registers were heavy and expensive. Imagine how difficult it was for robbers to steal a cash register like this. Being a thief must be difficult.
In modern times, we have computerized cash registers and point-of-sale (POS) systems. This shows how much technology has digitized our everyday life. Today, cash registers are smaller than in this second picture. Everything is being modernized, including cash registers. Now we even have cash registers that we control ourselves when making payments. We believe this is a step toward robotizing everything.
We Are Glad That This Change Happened
Tampons are essential hygiene items for modern women. They first appeared in ancient times and were made of paper, papyrus, wool, and fern while being secured with bandages. Honestly, many women find the process of using a tampon extremely painful. Although many ladies do not use it out of fear, on the other hand, some women always choose it.
Imagine what it was like to use tampons in the old days. We wouldn't like to reveal that, let's face it. Today they are made of rayon or a blend of rayon and cotton. In addition, they are available in several absorbency ratings. Their use has become widespread. And many scientists confirm their qualities, but some women remain faithful to pads.
Stores Today Have a Lot More Choices
Grocery stores in the 1900s were quite different from what we have today. Modern stores today have many multi-lights, advertisements, and choices. Food products are much more diverse, offering a broader range of products, including food, toiletries, fruit, and household appliances. Also, remember the cash registers we mentioned earlier? That is another difference.
We believe it is enough to compare the photos of the new and old store editions. Today, some stores still work according to the "old" regime. Modern grocery stores use computerized cash registers and Point of Sale (POS) systems. We are happier because now we have a lot more choices. And sellers are certainly happier that they attract much more attention in the modern age with numerous advertisements.
Irons Today Look Like Toys Compared to the Older Ones
Ironing freshly washed laundry used to be quite a difficult task. We have already explained to you the process with the washing machine from before. Irons in the 1900s were made of heavy materials, usually cast iron. They had to be heated before people could use them. Some even had openings so hot embers could be placed to iron clothes.
We truly believe that those who are a little more clumsy must have had countless scars. We all know that we forget to turn off the iron and come back a million times to check. We found a solution for that too. When you turn off the iron, take a picture, so you don't wonder halfway through if the iron is turned off.
The Cameras Are Just a Little Smaller
When they were first invented, motion pictures, films, or motion pictures were huge productions. While looking at this picture of an older camera, we can't even imagine what it was like for the cameramen back then. Film production necessarily requires numerous participants, including a director, lighting artist, extras, editors, and cameras were enormous. We feel like three people had to manage it.
Today, a modern camera looks smaller and has many more features than older cameras. New cameras are also not limited by time and recording capabilities, unlike the old ones, which had to shoot carefully because of the amount of film they had. Nowadays, it is enough to have a couple of memory cards, and the erase and record process is much easier.
The Database Looked Like a Book With Numbers
Each of us knows how easy it is to plug a thumb drive containing gigabytes of information into a laptop or tablet. To some, it seemed like an impossible mission. Today, many people choose computers based on the size and capacity of their SSDs or hard drives. That is necessary to save large amounts of information or not to destroy high-quality images.
The first storage device was not a solid-state memory card or a spinning disk. It was a paper card. It reminds us of a small book, which is full of some combinations of numbers—originally used to store programs for mechanical looms. Later it changed to card punching. Its creators at IBM also called it a unit record.
Believe It or Not, the Banana Has Changed Too
The word "banana," which is thought to be of West African origin, reminds us of monkeys and satiety. The original bananas are thought to have been cultivated for around 7,000 years. When we discovered that even the banana had changed and was not what it used to be, we were truly speechless. That fruit is no longer what it used to be.
This is very interesting because there are also some types of plants. During its long history, it has been crossed many times to improve its taste, appearance, and look. And now that we know that the banana has also changed, many questions have arisen. How is it that even bananas have evolved over time, yet, some people have never changed?
Although It Is Individual, the Method of Camouflage Has Also Changed
The idea of camouflage is apparently of recent origin. Since the existence of mankind, there have been wars. That's why camouflage is needed. Even animals camouflage to avoid being eaten. They look for a way to camouflage and hide. Mother Nature showed us how to do it right, but it took a long time for human animals to catch up.
Camouflage was first used in the 19th century and for the first time successfully during the Great War for various purposes. From hiding their troops and equipment to hiding their positions and traps. On the modern battlefield, it is almost impossible to distinguish opposing forces. If adequate camouflage is used, there is no theoretical chance of recognizing anything from the enemy side.
Even the Animals Have Changed
And our faithful friends have changed a lot. You only need to look at old photos of the same type to see how much change has taken place. If we look at the older version of the dog, you will see that it is much smaller and tougher. The newer version looks much bigger than expected for the average dog.
Humans have managed to change their characteristics and create new species through selective breeding and genetic modification. And some changes occurred by crossing different types of animals. We don't know if that happened to this type of dog. We know that some modifications were reasonable, but some were harmful. Over the years, several species have been bred to alter certain physical characteristics.
The Sunglasses Are Like From a Cartoon
Today, this gadget is an everyday thing to use. Sunglasses are used by many as a fashion detail or simply to protect the eyes from the light. They are also known as eyeshadows, originally designed to protect their wearers from the bright light reflected by the snow. And you won't believe how many people still have a problem with it today.
Many are surprised when they see people wearing glasses in winter; we'll just say that's why they were created. With a significant change, today's sunglasses are an essential item both on the beach and on a snowy mountain peak. Polarized lenses can also function as a visual aid. When it comes to environments with high UV rays, they are mandatory.
We Are Also Amazed by This Change
Today, hygiene is essential for a large part of the world. But using paper for sanitary and hygienic purposes is very old. Its first use was recorded in China around 589 AD, and its mass use and production began in the 14th century. It only came into mass production in Europe in 1857 and looked quite different from what we have now.
At that time, the paper was cut into square sheets. And it was sold in bundles that looked like booklets. We are glad that we are not a part of the past. An improved version of toilet paper appeared in Britain in 1880. Today we all know what that looks like! We still can't even imagine what quality the paper was before.
We Believe the Drills Were One of the Training Elements
Exercises in ancient Rome? No, this is not another episode of Ancient Aliens. These are hand drills. They were used in ancient Rome, which archaeologists can confirm. Their shape was very different from today's drills. And just by looking at the picture, we believe that handling them was not easy.
No doubt, on the part of the slaves, it required a lot of physical effort. Modern drills are excellent work-saving tools. Their manufacturers create them in ergonomic shapes and with many additional functionalities - torches, percussion instruments, etc. Imagine having to use something like that today. We would certainly call the master. With this gadget, they wouldn't know how to operate it themselves! We're glad we never had to use this.
The Rescue Pillow Looked Like a Bed Wrapped Around You
When they are not available in large enough numbers, the consequences can be dire. But look at this first photo. Doesn't it look like they wrapped people in little mattresses and tied them up so they wouldn't fall? Life jackets are a mandatory safety item on modern vessels. But also on all vehicles that float or fly above the water.
Their history is visible in this photo. To some, it even looks like a barrel. In any case, it hindered the movement of people. And it restricts their body movements, which makes swimming difficult anyway. Today they are slender and mostly orange in color. They are made of very light and strong materials so that the size can fit everyone.
Another Proof That Even Animals Change With Time
Industrial agriculture and agribusiness have changed the appearance and size of broiler chickens. But this is really a bit scary. The chickens look like they're going to attack us at any moment. They are bigger and look healthier, but their size scares us a little. This appears to result from the hormones and steroids they are fed on factory farms.
There are great opponents of industrial chicken farming. They claim that this method affects the environment, leads to problems for human health, and is unethical. As far as we are concerned, they are correct. Farmers themselves claim that this change is due to their efficient systems designed to increase productivity. But we really don't want to have chicken nightmares.
Baby Monitors Used To Be More Vibrant
Baby monitors are must-have devices for parents. Especially for those who are out of immediate distance from their babies. Modern parents have baby monitors on every corner. Many provide dual radio links, parental talk, and soothing music. They do everything to make their baby well. But also that they wouldn't worry about whether the baby is okay.
Back in the day, baby monitors were people. Mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and nannies. Or maybe even someone from the neighborhood. The whole process of this transition scares us a little. But if you look a little closer at the old autograph, you'll see what the baby monitor on the stroller looked like. We guess that's why it's called the modern age.
Here Are the Weirdest Dishes That Were Eaten Throughout History
When it comes to food, we all have different preferences. What someone may describe as delicious, another may consider disgusting. Yet, there are certain foods that a majority can agree don’t go well together. Let’s look back on some weird food combinations our forefathers enjoyed, which many of us today would concur are downright gross.
Salad Made From Flavored Gelatin
Believe it or not, back in the ‘60s, salads were a popular dish even though people weren’t exposed to as much information as we have in modern times on health and nutrition. It may not have been the kind you would expect to see anyone eat today, but folks still referred to it as a salad.
In addition to flavored gelatin, this well-liked mixture is also comprised of fruits, nuts, cream cheese, and various veggies. It seems like those who made this food combination added on any edible they could find in their kitchen because what in heaven’s name is this?
A Snack Made From Scraps of Pork
It's easy to be wasteful when there's an abundance and if you don't believe us, walk around the streets at night after restaurants shut down and notice just how much food is thrown out. Even though the idea of using scraps of food to make a new dish may not sound appealing, we're glad there are people in the olden times who refused to misuse whatever food they had and have passed down this tradition to generations after them.
Back then, folks prepared pork scraps with cornmeal, and soon enough, this dish would become popular among the Amish and Mennonite communities. For those that may want to try it out, one can still find this snack being sold in California.
A Pie You May Want to Skip On
If we could, we would eat pies all day long, every day. Yet as much as we love this pastry, we would gladly pass on one made with eel as one of its star ingredients.
The Eel Pie was popular among those who lived in London between the 16th and 17th centuries thanks to the nearby Thames River which had plenty of these fish. Since these creatures were many, they were cheaply priced and so affordable to the locals, who would experiment with them in the kitchen to come up with various dishes that could be enjoyed during different times of the day.
Ice Cream That Doesn’t Melt
During one of the early Apollo Missions, Nasa commissioned food company Whirlpool Corporation to come up with ice cream that did not need to be refrigerated so that it would be carried to the moon. While this edible never made it to space, it became a popular dessert here on Earth.
So how exactly did they make freeze-dried ice cream? They eliminated all the water in the ice cream so that it would become hard and, as a result, last longer without perishing and be unable to melt. While it's a brilliant idea, is it really still ice cream or just pieces of hard candy?
A Salad With Pasta
You might be counting yourself lucky to be part of a generation that has gotten to enjoy pasta as a meal because you couldn't imagine a life without this delicacy. As much as we hate to be the ones to burst your bubble, this dish has been around for long, giving people enough time to experiment with it and come up with different recipes from it.
The Trattoria da Vincenzo invented the pasta salad in the '50s, which would later become a popular food in Australia and New Zealand. This meal made with pasta and vegetables would be dressed with olive oil, vinegar, or mayonnaise, depending on one's preference—just the thought of it has us drooling!
Cranberry Candles
Using your favorite tasty ingredients and a little bit of creativity can turn any normal dish into an attractive display of colors and flavors. In the festive season, you need to be extra creative, so your guests can speak of your amazing culinary skills and always come back for more.
Whoever came up with this chose to go the extra mile by creating a delicious cranberry salad, but not an ordinary one. They mixed cranberries with gelatin and added some ingredients like nuts and lemon juice for flavor, and then topped everything with a big scoop of mayonnaise. The result is a display of holiday candles that look and taste amazing.
Cheese Tea
It’s weird when some ingredients people use—like cheese, which most people eat as an appetizer, snack, or sandwich—are utilized in some other ways. For instance, in China, they use cheese to make delicious cheese tea, which has recently become popular in several Asian countries.
The base of this drink is made of tea, but it’s topped with layers of cheese, cream, and milk, bringing out the real creaminess of the cheese. Culinary experts recommend that you don’t blend the top foamy layer for the best taste. This drink is rich in antioxidants and high in calories, so don’t drink too much of it if you’re trying to lose weight.
Mushroom Ketchup
When anyone mentions the word ketchup, we all think of the red tomato-based sauce that people use as a spread in sandwiches or as a side with fries. Back in the day, the early versions of ketchup were made of a different vegetable than you wouldn’t imagine.
Mushroom ketchup was very popular in the UK and then supplied to America. It was mainly made of mushrooms with some extra spices. It definitely doesn’t taste like your everyday ketchup, but some people love it and still eat it today. So, if you want to try a new sauce, giving mushroom ketchup a try is recommended.
Turtle Soup
Nowadays, people are trying to preserve the population of turtles because these marine animals are threatened because of pollution. Yet, back in the day, people didn’t care that much about these poor animals or their survival. So, seeing turtle soup served for dinner was quite common.
Turtles were toasted in wine and butter and then made into soup, which was a delicacy in the U.S., France, and England. This dish was extremely popular, which proves that it might have been tasty. Moreover, it’s apparent that people never thought that turtles and other marine animals would be in danger. Maybe, the dish was too delicious to think about it.
Beaver Tails
Luckily, these were not actually beaver tails. They were dough-like desserts that people made using whole wheat flour. They got their name from the way they were shaped because they looked like beaver tails.
Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, the beaver was a popular meal, and people were involved in the fur trade, so the popular meal inspired the dessert’s name. We’re not sure who was the first person who thought of this name, but we’re positive that they didn’t think what a turnoff it would be. It was fatty and tasty, but we’re not sure we would want to try it.
Whale Poop
One of the most stomach-churning dishes on this list, whale poop, deserves a special mention for its sheer weirdness. This mixture of fat and bile is the intestinal sludge of a whale, that is spewed from its body after eating squid-like sea creatures. When the whale excretes, its feces hardens in cold water, ready to be used as a traditional flavoring in haute cuisine.
You'd perhaps be nauseated to know that early Europeans loved whale poop in their meals. In ancient Persia, it was a key ingredient in lemon sherbet. Some also used it to flavor their ice cream and hot chocolate. Yuck!
Onion Nuggets
Our love for chicken nuggets is undeniably huge, but onion nuggets? Not only our taste buds, but our minds also aren't ready to accept the fried dollops of onion instead of beloved chicken chunks. Yet, McDonald's launched this bizarre mix of onion rings and McNuggets on their menu in 1975. Perhaps, this way they tried to please their vegetarian clients but sadly, onion nuggets were a major flop.
By the early '80s, this dish failed to establish itself as a popular product. So, McDonald's soon got rid of it. We guess people weren't glad about this variation of the conventional onion ring.
Toast Water
After toasting a loaf of bread, we usually spread jam, butter, Nutella, or other popular condiments. Yet, our forerunners did something very odd. They immersed the toasted bread in water until it turned brown. On straining the water, they would simply drink it because the beverage was considered nutritious. Those who had weak digestion were also advised to drink the same. Weird, no?
Although we are disgusted by the idea of this recipe, there's only one way to discover if it is at all potable. So, how about being a little adventurous and trying out crazy foodstuffs like the toast water?
Frog Legs
Yes, you read that correctly! Those who are scared of frogs and toads won't deny that the dish is a nightmare. Yet, frog legs are a famous delicacy of both Chinese and French cuisines. They were first mentioned in Europe during the 12th century, but the Chinese ate them since the first century AD.
Do you wonder what it tastes like? Well, frog fanatics say that this dish has a mixed flavor of fish and chicken. Plus, it is known to be of great medicinal value, having cured stomach disorders like dysentery. Also, you won’t start jumping like a frog after having it!
Banana Candle Salad
Among the weird but wonderful vintage foods of the United States, you're sure to come across the banana candle salad in your grandma's cookbook. This vintage fruit delicacy was very popular in America from the '20s to the '60s, especially on festivals like Halloween and Christmas.
Now, we know that bananas and candles are wholly different entities that can hardly be mixed to prepare a salad. Yet, fret not! This strange-looking dish has a normal recipe with pineapple, lettuce, a banana kept in the upright position, and a cherry on top. For the finishing touch, it is garnished with mayonnaise and cottage cheese.
They Put Glitter in Their Coffee
Today, having glitter in your coffee may be unheard of, but that wasn't always the case. We know of shimmer in coffee because that is what doctors recommended over edible glitter, which sadly, turned out inedible in the end. Yet, we'll admit that those before us sure knew how to have a good time and golden coffee.
Too bad we can't do that now for health's sake, but can you imagine? Glitter in the cup of cappuccino you just ordered at your favorite coffee house? We also can't wrap our minds around that thought. We'd give it a shot, though!
Oh No, Frozen Cheese Salad?
Around the year 1974, folks had the strangest salad recipe you will likely come across. To decorate the block's sides, they added broccoli florets to frozen cottage cheese, blue cheese, and buttermilk. There's more! They also took time to squeeze in some Barbecue sauce which they drizzled atop the salad.
Would you even imagine what all these would taste like in your mouth? Because if you have, then your answer about ever thinking of trying this strange frozen cheese salad with the oddest flavor combinations you will find out there, is likely an immediate no. We don't blame you, because, same!
A Most Strange Pie
Talk about past people having odd palate preferences because who makes a pie out of Tuna and Jell-O? Jell-O was pretty popular in those days, and they called it a summer salad pie when they added tuna into the mix. So why was this eccentric meal such a hit?
Though it may sound dreadful, the lemon-flavored jell-O, bananas, tuna, green olives, and tomato sauce as a dressing combination was everything and some to the people back in the day. Still, it doesn't mean you should try this recipe because chances are the outcome will be a disaster, and you've probably got a hunch already.
Did You Know There's Edible Dirt?
When you think you've seen all there is, you find out there's a thing like edible dirt. Good Lord, where are the pregnant ladies with soil cravings? Better make it sound like a discovery if we're all buying into this, but seriously, there are more efficient ways of meeting our bodies' nutrient deficiencies now.
We might as well pass on those dirt cakes or that garden salad with edible dirt because we humans have long evolved from homo sapiens who ate dirt, so we cannot imagine eating any form of dirt. Unless, of course, you want to follow in our predecessors' footsteps, and in that case, who are we to stop you?
Stewed Swan
We may not know swans as edible today, but these birds were once reserved for royalty. The Tudor royal family in England didn’t seem to care for their perceived rarity and beauty like other folks, and they probably knew their downside. It could also be because they made such a delicious stew which we probably won’t be experiencing. After all, how would we go about eating those beautiful birds?
Let's say eating these creatures wasn’t still a taboo today, would you treat yourself to this cuisine? Anyway, the swan population has grown larger, and these birds are now considered destructive and invasive in places like New York and Michigan.
Pepper Cake
Spices have been a part of Asian delicacies for decades, and their addition to any food item adds to its taste. So when the western world got its hands on the variety of condiments that makes meals more delicious, they couldn't resist using it in every dish possible. Generally, people add these seasonings to curries, but some Americans have found a new use for these ingredients.
We came across a dessert called the pepper cake, which has pepper as the main ingredient. Although we don't know how this sweet dish tastes, the word on the street is that it was a popular item among Americans.