Invention of the telephone
The carbon microphone was independently developed around 1878 by David Edward Hughes in England and Emile Berliner and Thomas Edison in the US. Although Edison was awarded the first patent in mid-1877, Hughes had demonstrated his working device in front of many witnesses some years earlier, and most historians credit him with its invention.
Benjamin Bauer
Introduced in 1939, the Shure Unidyne is arguably the most recognized microphone in the world. The Unidyne's instant and lasting success has been attributed by its manufacturer as stemming from the fact that, "It was the first high-quality unidirectional microphone that was affordable and reduced audio issues such as background noise, feedback and excessive reverberation." On Jan 31, 2014, the Unidyne microphone was granted the IEEE award.