Which discovery significantly contributed to the advancement of the Industrial Revolution?

The Industrial Revolution, which really took off in the late 1700s and 1800s, was all about massive changes in how things were made. Before this, most goods were crafted by hand. But with new inventions, factories started popping up, and production went into overdrive. Now, think about what powered those factories. It wasn't televisions, which came much later, nor penicillin, which is related to medicine. Jet engines are a 20th-century invention. The real game-changer was steam power. Steam engines, fueled by coal, provided a reliable and powerful energy source to drive machinery. James Watt significantly improved the steam engine in the late 1700s, making it more efficient and practical. This meant factories could be built anywhere, not just near rivers for water power. Steam engines powered trains and ships, revolutionizing transportation too. So, steam power was absolutely central to the Industrial Revolution's progress.