In 1938, a patent clerk rubbed sulfur onto a metal plate and copied a few words in a borrowed lab: It led to the foundation of xerography

Chester Carlson invented xerography in 1938. This innovation allowed for quick document copying without retyping. Major corporations initially rejected the idea. Later, the Haloid Company commercialized it as the Xerox 914. This invention made copying routine, changing office culture and paperwork procedures forever. The technology also found applications in medical imaging.