Alexander Graham Bell developed the metal detector as a last ditch effort to locate a bullet lodged in the chest of American President James Garfield in 1881; the attempt was unsuccessful because the metal coil spring bed Garfield was lying on confused the detector.
Louis Le Prince, who filmed the first ever motion pictures, disappeared…
Louis Le Prince, who filmed the first ever motion pictures, disappeared without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison soon took credit as the first and sole inventor of cinema, and even took Le Prince’s son to court to dispute it. Few years later, the son also died under mysterious circumstances.
Verizon developed a special knife that uses pressurized…
Verizon developed a special knife that uses pressurized air to slice through lawns so fiber optic lines can be buried. The tool cuts through grass but does not break sprinkler pipes and gas lines.
James Buchanan Duke is credited as the inventor of the cigarette…
James Buchanan Duke is credited as the inventor of the cigarette, made billions, and Duke University is named in his honor.
Theophilus Van Kannel, the guy who invented revolving doors did so because he hated…
Theophilus Van Kannel, the guy who invented revolving doors did so because he hated chivalry, especially the idea of opening doors for women.
Stop signs originated in Michigan in 1915. The first ones had black…
Stop signs originated in Michigan in 1915. The first ones had black lettering on a white background and were 24 by 24 inches, somewhat smaller than the current sign.
Researchers in Tokyo have developed a mirror that tweaks the viewer’s reflection…
Researchers in Tokyo have developed a mirror that tweaks the viewer’s reflection in real-time to make it look like they’re smiling. The projected application for this tech is for use in shopping mall bathrooms, in hopes that happier shoppers will buy more.
A fifth wheel was a concept to help with parallel parking…
A fifth wheel was a concept to help with parallel parking in the 1950’s.
ATM PINs were originally intended to have six digits, but have four…
ATM PINs were originally intended to have six digits, but have four because the inventor’s wife said she could only remember that many.
In the early 20’s, inventor Thomas Midgley Jr. discovered that he could make car…
In the early 20’s, inventor Thomas Midgley Jr. discovered that he could make car engines more efficient by adding Tetraethyllead to gasoline, and was awarded a Nichols Medal. Later, it was discovered that the chemicals had filled the atmosphere with lead, leading to worldwide lead poisoning.
In the late 20’s, the same inventor synthesized one the first Chloroflourocarbons, known as CFC, and received the Perkin Medal. It was later discovered that the immense amounts of CFC produced by hairspray and other everyday products had reduced the ozone layer by 4% every decade since the invention. The wound is not expected to heal fully within our lifetimes.
At the age of 51, Midgley contracted polio. Unable to get out of bed by himself, he constructed a machine which could pull him out and help him stand without his family having to help. He got entangled in the wires, and died of suffocation. It is now believed that Midgley has affected our planet’s atmosphere more than any other organism that has ever existed.