From science to fashion, from industry to politics, there isn’t a field that Manchester has failed to leave its mark on.
Our city has produced world-class inventors, designers, activists and artists that have been responsible for some of the most pivotal moments in history, such as Emmeline Pankhurst, who spearheaded the fight women’s right to vote, and Alan Turing, whose work not only helped win the Second World War, but also formed the foundations of computer science.
As if we needed anymore reasons to be proud of Manchester, here are some of the ideas that started here and went on to influence the rest of the world.
9. Nuclear physics
In 1917, physicist at the University of Manchester Ernest Rutherford (pictured here on the right, next to Hans Geiger) became the first person to create an artificial nuclear reaction, sometimes referred to as “splitting the atom.” This led to the birth of the field of nuclear physics. Credit: University of Manchester | University of Manchester
10. The Suffragette movement
The mother of the Suffragette movement Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Moss Side, Manchester in 1858. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
11. Cooperatives
The Rochdale Pioneers (pictured), a group of artisans in the cotton industry, founded the first modern cooperative in 1844. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images
12. Canals
The Bridgewater Canal, built in 1761 by the Duke of Bridgewater to transport coal from his Worsley mine, was the first canal to run across the country, independent from natural waterways. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images