INVENTORS

‘Guess Who?’ has been a hit for over 40 years.

The Surprising Origins of the ‘Guess Who?’ Game

The game of familiar faces has surprising connections to Anne Frank and fidget toys.

(L-R) Thomas Edison, Temple Grandin, and Charles Steinmetz .

12 Scientists With Disabilities Who Made the World a Better Place

You don’t have to follow science news to be familiar with Thomas Edison or Temple Grandin, who are just two of the many innovative scientists who have experienced disabilities and viewed them as assets.

The crescent wrench has helped DIYers for decades.

Why Is It Called a “Crescent Wrench”?

A Swedish immigrant changed the face of wrenches forever.

Why Is It Called a “Phillips Head” Screwdriver?

Believe it or not, nobody named Phillips actually invented it.

Lightning strikes over the Freedom Tower (a.k.a. One World Trade Center) in New York City.

Did Ben Franklin Really Invent the Lightning Rod?

Ben Franklin’s famous experiment with the kite and key gave him a better understanding of the nature of electricity. But did that event lead to the lightning rod?

11 Amazing Things Invented by Kids

The 5-year-old who created transforming toy trucks was the youngest person to hold a patent.

The Man Who ‘Invented’ the Labradoodle Called the Dog Crossbreed His Biggest Regret

The Labradoodle is a beloved designer dog breed, but in the eyes of the dog's creator, it's a 'Frankenstein['s] monster.'

Thomas Edison, awaiting a ghostly phone call.

35 Lesser-Known Inventions of Famous Inventors

Henry Ford’s car made of soybeans and Thomas Edison’s ghost-detecting telephone are just two little-known creations of history’s most famous inventors.

You can thank Letitia Mumford Geer for this.

Remembering Letitia Mumford Geer, the Nurse Who Invented the One-Handed Syringe

The syringes used by medical professionals today can be traced back to her 1899 patent.

George Washington Carver in his laboratory.

10 Black Inventors Who Changed the World

Get to know the brilliant African American innovators who brought you blood banks, personal computers, dry cleaning, and more.

Do DIY Air Purifiers Really Work to Combat Wildfire Smoke, COVID, and Other Pollutants?

Can your MacGyver air scrubber do the work of a purifier costing hundreds of dollars? Science says yes.

Elizabeth Magie created 'The Landlord’s Game,' a precursor to 'Monopoly.'

20 Things You Might Not Know Were Invented by Women

Here are some of the best inventions by women throughout history, from the paper bag to windshield wipers, circular saws, and more.

Ive Got A Secret - Philo Farnsworth, Buster Keaton 1957

Philo Farnsworth, Pioneer of Television, Appeared on TV Only Once

The man who made electronic television signals a reality made only one on-camera appearance. No one knew who he was.

John Harvey Kellogg, enthusiastic irrigator of colons.

11 of John Harvey Kellogg's Strangest Inventions

John Harvey Kellogg, one of the minds behind Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, spent much of his life devising ways to improve human health and vitality.

The technology isn't quite this advanced.

Coming Soon: Lickable TV Screens

Smell-O-Vision never quite caught on. Will “Taste the TV”—a flatscreen you can lick—have more success?

Without Ed Lowe, we might not be so friendly with cats.

Ed Lowe, the Inventor Behind Kitty Litter

With kitty litter, Ed Lowe changed how cats and humans bonded. But not everyone understood the idea: One woman tried feeding it to her cat.

Pencils have a long evolutionary history.

Who Invented the Pencil?

French engineer Nicolas-Jacques Conté created what is considered the modern pencil, though many have since made improvements.

Amazon Has an Entire Section Dedicated to Shark Tank Products

Discover Amazon Launchpad's 'Shark Tank' Collection, featuring products from the show like the Saucemoto dip cup and Basepaws' cat at-home DNA kits.

Mason jars solved a food storage problem.

Who's the Mason of Mason Jar Fame?

John Landis Mason revolutionized food preservation in 1858. Too bad he didn't see jack in terms of money for it.

Vintage illustration of Thomas Edison and the phonograph.

11 Surprising Facts About Thomas Edison

You may know that Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor who revolutionized the electric light bulb. But have you heard about his creepy talking dolls?

Kenya's Wangari Maathai isn't a household name, but she should be.

Meet Nina Chhita, the Artist Celebrating Diverse Female Scientists With Her Instagram Illustrations

From ‘Hidden Figure’ Katherine Johnson to female Nobel Laureates you may not have heard of, Nina Chhita's Instagram is giving us some important history lessons.

Fried Beer Exists—and We Have Texas to Thank (or Blame) for It

Forget deep-fried Oreos and deep-fried butter—thanks to Mark Zable, you can now have your beer and eat it, too.

13 Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions

Get swept away in the tale of how Henry Winstanley was swept away in the lighthouse he designed (and other fascinating yet tragic tales).

Joseph Lee: The 19th-Century Black Baking Pioneer Whose Bread-Crumbing Machine Revolutionized Hotel Kitchens

Joseph Lee was sick of seeing slightly stale bread get tossed in the trash, so he found a way to give it a second life.