Who invented the steam engine and when?

The steam engine was perfected by James Watt in the late 18th century. While earlier forms of steam engines, such as the ones created by Thomas Newcomen, were used primarily for pumping water from mines, they were inefficient. In the 1760s and 1770s, Watt made key improvements to the design, including a separate condenser that made the engine more efficient and practical for industrial use. Watt’s steam engine became the driving force of the Industrial Revolution, powering factories, locomotives, and steamships, significantly transforming industries and economies around the world.