5 Things You Don't Know Sweden Gave Us

Despite having only 9 million residents, Sweden hits way above its weight when it comes to innovation. The Scandinavian country has produced some of the most well-known products in the world, many of which we use on a daily basis. For example, did you know the Celsius temperature scale was developed by a Swede? How about countless life-saving medical devices including the pacemaker? Or, how about one of Coca-Cola’s most recognizable symbols?

In this list, we bring to light things you might not know came from Sweden. Though people like Alfred Nobel and products like Absolut Vodka are better-known Swedish exports – well, besides clothing manufacturer H&M – our modern lives would not be possible without the immense contributions from talented Swedish inventors.

* Coca-Cola Bottle

Almost every person in the world recognizes the Coca-Cola bottle thanks to its distinctive shape. Though Coke was founded by John Pemberton, its iconic bottle was designed and originally produced by Swede Alexander Samuelsson.

* IKEA

So, in truth, we didn’t think we had to mention this one since every IKEA store is basically a massive Swedish flag. For those who haven’t yet built a full dining room for less than the price of a beer in Manhattan, IKEA is one of the most popular furniture companies in the world and proudly Swedish.

* Prilosec

Better known as Prilosec in the United States, Losec was the 1990’s best-selling drug worldwide. This Swedish ulcer medication was developed by Astra Zeneca and is also used to treat acid reflux.

* GPS/AIS

Though a Swede didn’t directly invent GPS (Global Positioning System), Håkan Lans did invent one of its most important derivations. His AIS (Automatic Identification System) has become the standard for both sea and air traffic tracking and collision avoidance.

* Telephone Handset

Famous Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson was founded by Lars Magnus Ericsson in 1876. Its first widely successful product was a telephone handset with both speaker and mouthpiece built into the same housing. Previously, telephone users had to hold the speaker to their ear and hold the separate microphone to their mouth to speak.