35 Lesser-Known Inventions of Famous Inventors | Mental Floss List Show | 533

Summary

This video from Mental Floss explores lesser-known inventions by famous inventors. Highlights include Alexander Graham Bell's metal detector, Nikola Tesla's remote-controlled boat, and Henry Ford's soybean car. The video also discusses inventive figures like Maria Beasley, who improved life rafts, and George Washington Carver, who developed a cosmetic cream. Inventors like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Leonardo da Vinci also make appearances with their less-celebrated creations. The video offers a fascinating look at the wide-ranging and sometimes quirky contributions of historical innovators.

Takeaways

• 📞 Alexander Graham Bell invented a metal detector to try to save President Garfield's life after he was shot, but it didn't work due to interference from Garfield's metal bed.
• 🚽 Lewis Latimer, a colleague of Bell, patented a bathroom for a train and an early version of an air conditioner.
• 🚤 Bell and Casey Baldwin designed a hydrofoil boat that broke a speed record, traveling at 70 miles per hour.
• 📡 Nikola Tesla wowed audiences with a remote-controlled boat in 1898 using radio signals, an early demonstration of wireless communication.
• 👩‍🔧 Maria Beasley improved life rafts, making them more durable and safer, as well as inventing foot warmers and a device to prevent train derailments.
• 🌱 Henry Ford, in collaboration with George Washington Carver, developed a soybean car made from plastic panels, presented in 1941.
• 🥜 George Washington Carver also created a cosmetic cream made from peanuts, in addition to his work with crops and plastics.
• 👩‍💻 Mary Ann Croak has over 100 patents, including processes used for charitable donations via text message.
• 🧊 Clarence Birdseye, known for frozen food innovations, also invented a harpoon gun with no recoil, making it easier to shoot.
• 🎶 Benjamin Franklin invented the armonica, a musical instrument using spinning glass bowls, which gained brief popularity in the 18th century.

Q & A

Who invented the metal detector and what was its purpose?

Alexander Graham Bell invented the metal detector to try to save President James Garfield's life by locating the bullet after Garfield was shot in 1881.

Why was Bell's metal detector unsuccessful in finding the bullet?

Bell's metal detector failed to find the bullet because Garfield's mattress contained metal mesh, which interfered with the device's electromagnetic field.

What other invention did Lewis Latimer contribute to, besides helping with the telephone patent?

In addition to helping draft the telephone patent, Lewis Latimer patented a bathroom for trains in 1874 and an early version of an air conditioner in 1886.

What was the Hydro Drom, and why was it significant?

The Hydro Drom was a boat invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin. It was 60 feet long and traveled at 70 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest boats of its time.

How did Nikola Tesla demonstrate the use of radio waves?

Nikola Tesla demonstrated the use of radio waves by creating a battery-powered, remote-controlled boat, which he showcased at an exhibition in Madison Square Garden in 1898.

What was Henry Ford’s contribution to the development of plastic materials?

Henry Ford developed a soybean-based plastic car in collaboration with George Washington Carver. The car had 14 plastic panels made from soybeans and other crops, but its development was interrupted by World War II.

What lesser-known invention did George Washington Carver patent besides his agricultural work?

George Washington Carver patented a cosmetic cream made of peanuts, salicylic acid, perfume, and powder for color, which he referred to as a 'vanishing cream.'

What innovative product did Maria Beasley invent to improve safety at sea?

Maria Beasley invented an improved life raft, which was more durable and safer than the wooden rafts commonly used at the time.

What musical instrument did Benjamin Franklin invent, and who were some famous composers that wrote music for it?

Benjamin Franklin invented the Armonica, an instrument with 37 glass bowls. Famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven wrote music for it.

What was Thomas Edison’s first patented invention, and why was it rejected by legislators?

Thomas Edison’s first patented invention was a voting machine designed to speed up the legislative voting process. It was rejected because legislators believed it would eliminate time-wasting tactics like filibustering.