How was it invented: Cullen, a Scottish professor, designed a small refrigeration machine in 1755, using a pump to create a partial vacuum over a container of diethyl ether, which then boiled, absorbing heat from the surrounding air. At the time, it had no practical use and Cullen never found a use for his invention.
In 1834, Jacob Parkins built the first machine for practical refrigeration, becoming the first to hold a patent for the invention. Because of this, he's often considered the father of the refrigerator.