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Where would we be if it weren’t for inventors? They
are the ones that move us forward. Their genius and novel ways of
looking at the world create new technologies and generate easier ways of
doing things. Usually, however, inventors are some of the most eccentric
people you will ever meet. They don’t think like the rest of us. Instead
of living in the here and now, they are usually daydreaming about ways
to improve existing technologies or thinking up new ways to do things.
This eccentricity, while good for the purpose of inventing and being
creative, can also lead to some interesting side effects. Well, in some
cases those side effects can be downright hilarious…and in other cases
they can be quite terrifying. You are about to read about some of the
strangest, craziest, and most intelligent people to ever have walked the
Earth. Many of the things, including the computer, tablet, or phone you
are using right now were made possible by great minds such as these.
Every generation would build on the discoveries and findings of the
generation before it which managed to create the world in which we live
today. These are some quirky and ridiculous stories about inventors and
their inventions!
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Robert Chesebrough, the inventor of Vaseline, ate one spoonful every day
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Nobody knows who invented the fire
hydrant because the patent was lost in a fire
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Clara Lazen, a 10 year old from Kansas City, accidentally discovered a
new molecule during science class (tetranitratoxycarbon)
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Modern credit cards were invented by Frank X McNamara when he was
supposed to pay for a dinner but forgot to bring cash |
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Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Thomas Edison have
something surprising in common – none of them have a college degree!
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Adolf Hitler considered Henry Ford an inspiration and even kept a photo
of him on his desk
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In 1903, Thomas Edison electrocuted an elephant to show that Tesla's AC
current was dangerous
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Leo Fender, the man who invented two of the most famous guitar models in
history (Stratocaster and Telecaster) never learned to play guitar
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The man who invented diesel engines, Rudolph Diesel,
killed himself in 1913 because he thought his invention had failed
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Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK-47 recently
quoted, "I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by
terrorists". The former Soviet officer later said that he wished he had
invented something more benign, like a lawnmower
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Tea bags were invented by accident. In 1904, Thomas
Sullivan thought it would be better to send tea samples to customers in
small silk bags rather than in boxes. Customers thought they were meant
to be dunked in water and soon Thomas was inundated with requests for
his "dunking bags"
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Edwin Armstrong, inventor of FM radio, was bullied by numerous powerful
AM radio supporters (NBC and AT&T) until he committed suicide in 1954
thinking that FM radio was a failure
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Ruth Wakefield, the inventor of chocolate chip cookies, sold her
invention to Nestle in return for a lifetime supply of chocolate
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James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, is the only coach in
University of Kansas history to have a losing career |