12 Worst Inventions of All Time

Summary

In this episode of Good Mythical Morning, the hosts explore a century of bizarre and often dangerous inventions, from the 1910 parachute jacket and the baby cage, to floating water shoes and the 2010 Hoola Chair. They chronologically showcase peculiar gadgets, including fire alarm wrist-grabbers, shared-cigarette holders, phone-answering robots, and anti-eating masks, offering humorous commentary on each. The segment highlights human creativity gone awry, mixing historical facts with modern oddities, while engaging the audience with playful banter, quirky demonstrations, and interactive moments like auctions and the Wheel of Mythicality, making it an entertaining dive into humanity’s strangest inventions.

Takeaways

• 😀 People invent things all the time, often leading to hilariously bad inventions.
• 😀 The parachute jacket (1910) was a suit that turned into a parachute, but its first test resulted in the inventor's tragic death when he jumped off the Eiffel Tower.
• 😀 The baby cage (1922) was designed to suspend babies outside apartments, but it was considered a dangerous and impractical invention.
• 😀 The ice-skating baby carrier (1935) was an attempt to combine baby care with ice skating, but it posed serious risks to babies due to the potential for accidents.
• 😀 The fire box (1938) was a device designed to prevent false fire alarms by holding people in place when they activated the alarm, making it ineffective and dangerous.
• 😀 In 1950, the simultaneous cigarette-smoking device was invented for couples to share a cigarette, emphasizing intimacy but also promoting unhealthy habits.
• 😀 Floating shoes (1962) were invented to allow people to walk on water, but despite the idea, they never became a practical product.
• 😀 The anti-bandit bag (1963) was designed to release the contents of a bag when snatched, turning theft into a game of catching the fallen items.
• 😀 The phone-answering robot (1964) was a robot that picked up the phone but did nothing more than that, leading to its impracticality.
• 😀 The shower hood (1970) covered the entire head during a shower, offering more coverage than a shower cap, but it was awkward and impractical.
• 😀 The anti-eating mask (1982) was a muzzle-like face mask meant to prevent eating, but it was ultimately an embarrassing invention.
• 😀 The Segway (2001) was deemed one of the worst inventions by Time magazine, but it remains one of the most entertaining personal transportation devices, albeit with some risks.
• 😀 The hula chair (2010) was designed to simulate hula dancing while sitting, but its functionality and practical use were questionable.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the 'parachute jacket' invented in 1910?

The parachute jacket was designed to allow aviators to jump out of a plane and deploy a parachute by simply spreading their arms. It was meant as a safety device, but it failed tragically when its inventor jumped off the Eiffel Tower to demonstrate its efficacy and died.

What was the 'baby cage' invented in 1922, and why is it controversial?

The baby cage was designed for parents living in confined spaces, like apartments, to suspend their babies outside in a cage. The controversy arises from the fact that it seems unsafe and cruel, as the baby is placed in a metal cage hanging over the streets.

Why is the 'ice-skating baby carrier' from 1935 considered dangerous?

The ice-skating baby carrier was designed to allow parents to skate while carrying their babies. The concern is that the baby could easily be injured, especially if the parents lost control or collided with someone while skating.

What was the 'fire box' from 1938, and how did it function?

The fire box was a device attached to fire alarms. When a fire alarm was triggered, it would grab the person’s wrist to prevent false alarms or pranks. The device would hold the person until the police arrived, though it was seen as a harsh and overly extreme measure.

What was the concept behind the 1950 invention of the 'couple cigarette holder'?

The couple cigarette holder allowed two people to simultaneously smoke from the same cigarette. It was designed to foster intimacy between partners, though it is now seen as an odd and potentially unhealthy invention.

What was the purpose of the 'floating shoes' invented in 1962?

The floating shoes were intended to allow people to walk across bodies of water, similar to how snowshoes work on snow. The idea was popularized by the inventor’s belief that it could help people cross oceans, but the invention never gained traction.

How did the 'anti-bandit bag' from 1963 work?

The anti-bandit bag was designed to thwart theft. If the bag was snatched, it would automatically release the bottom of the bag, spilling its contents onto the ground. This would leave the thief with only what they could collect from the ground, creating an inconvenient situation for them.

What was the function of the 'phone-answering robot' from 1964?

The phone-answering robot was designed to pick up the phone when it rang. Unlike a simple answering machine, it was a mechanical robot with eyes that would physically lift the phone's receiver to answer the call.

What is the purpose of the 'shower hood' invented in 1970?

The shower hood was a device meant to keep the entire head covered while showering, as opposed to just using a shower cap. It was meant to protect the face and hair, though it appeared overly cumbersome.

Why was the 'anti-eating mask' from 1982 controversial?

The anti-eating mask was essentially a muzzle, designed to prevent people from eating. It was intended to stop food from entering the wearer’s mouth, but it was seen as impractical and socially awkward.

What makes the Segway, invented in 2001, such an iconic and controversial invention?

The Segway was a two-wheeled personal transportation device that became infamous for its odd appearance. Despite its functionality, it is often seen as a novelty, and those who ride it tend to look awkward. However, many who try it still find it fun and entertaining.

What was the 'hoola chair' invented in 2010, and how did it function?

The hoola chair was a fitness device that simulated the hula dance movement, allowing users to 'wiggle' while seated. It was marketed as a fun way to exercise, though it did not seem to offer significant health benefits.