Before William Painter's invention, carbonated beverages had a habit of going flat or spoiling quickly once opened. The beverage industry was constantly facing the challenge of preserving fizz and flavor. Enter the humble yet brilliant Painter, a mechanical engineer and inventor hailing from Ireland. In 1892, while living in Baltimore, Maryland, Painter patented the "crown cork," the first bottle cap. His design, inspired by the need for an airtight seal, featured 24 tiny flutes around the edge