From The Inventor Of Velcro To Eraser: Six Inventors Whose Inventions Are More Popular Than Them
Some miraculous inventions changed our lives, and the ones mentioned below are no exception, but we know little to nothing about their inventors.
We all know what velcro is, and we have been using velcro straps to secure our feet in sandals from the time we were kids. But how many of us know about the person who invented it? Indeed, the invention of the electric light bulb was groundbreaking, but there are several other inventions that benefited us in a similar vein. Sadly, not all inventors gained fame, but we use their invented items almost every day. Read on to learn about some lesser-known inventors and their popular inventions.
Toothbrush —William Addis
In 1770, William Addis was withering in a British prison, and at that time, people used cloth with coal dust and salt to clean their teeth. Addis came up with the idea to pierce a hole in a small piece of wood and fitted some tuft bristles in it with glue. And that is how the toothbrush was invented. Addis started the mass industrial production of toothbrushes and earned a fortune from it.
The Eraser — Edward Nairne
Where would any genius mind be without this item? Until Edward Nairne invented the eraser—sometime in 1770—people used bits of pumice or sandstone, wax, or pieces of bread to remove unwanted marks from paper.
The Velcro — Georges de Mestral
Velcro was invented by Georges de Mestral after finding stubborn thistles entwined in his dog’s fur. He noticed that the thistles had leaves that looked like hooks and were difficult to get rid of. And that is how velcro was invented.
Ballpoint Pen — Laszlo Biro
Laszlo Biro used ink from a printer to refill his fountain pen, but the trick failed. So Biro invented the first ballpoint pen and revolutionized writing — of course, until the invention of the stylus.
Traffic Light — Garrett Morgan
An appalling car accident encouraged Garrett Morgan to invent traffic lights. He designed the "go" and "stop" signals and also a "stop everybody" signal. Morgan filed the patent for his traffic lights in 1922, and the copyrights were sold to General Electric in the same year. Later, General Electric followed Morgan’s design and created the electric traffic light that we see today.
The Magnetic Strip on Credit Card — Ron Klein
Ron Klein came up with the idea of creating the magnetic strip on credit cards that allows users to make cashless transactions. If the paper currency goes extinct, Klein’s invention will be responsible for it.
These inventions may seem trivial, but can you imagine a life without them?
