How in the world did we live without these?
Otto Rohwedder. Heard of him? How about George de Mestra? No? J.F. Brondel or John Harrington? No, no? Never even heard of Charles Strite, I'll bet. Our lives would indeed be very different without sliced bread, velcro, the flush toilet, and automatic toasters. Many of the world's greatest inventions were created by more than one person, often unbeknownst to the other. For example, while we all learned in elementary school that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, the true history of the telephone is a tangled web of inventors, claims, and counterclaims. And while many inventors have become associated with their inventions, such as Bell, Edison, and Pasteur, many others live lives of relative obscurity. The purpose of this site is to recognize a small few of the unsung giants of creativity, the unknown heros of our everyday lives. The inventors we never heard of.
Contents at a Glance
So Is Anything Better Than Sliced Bread?
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Otto Rohwedder
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One of the most popular phrases in the English language is directly linked to Otto Rohwedder. In fact, he came up with the benchmark great idea since, well, maybe the wheel! This Squidoo lens is dedicated to the obscure inventor of a really, really,...
Toasters Make The Sliced Bread Better
- All About Toasters
- During World War I, a master mechanic in a plant in Stillwater, Minnesota decided to do something about the burnt toast served in the company cafeteria. Charles Strite incorporated springs and a variable timer, and filed the patent application for his pop-up toaster on May 29, 1919.
Read More About Inventors
The Picture History of Great Inventors
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 12/05/2009) 
The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/05/2009)
Inventors (Library of Congress Classics)
Amazon Price: $11.04 (as of 12/05/2009)
A Pat on the Back
Do-it-yourself style
This indispensable item was patented by Ralph Piro on the very day my oldest child was born, May 31, 1985.
Velcro: Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
- The Zipperless Zipper - Velcro Uses and Tips
- Velcro is a household name and it's amazing how useful velcro adhesive really is in today's world. We use it for everything. Glance around a room and notice the many uses of velcro. We are in a zipperless world of ease and flexibility. In a world going green, velcro has many uses and can be used over and over again.
- History of Velcro
- Patented in 1955, Velcro was invented when George de Mestral returned from a hunting trip and found his dog covered with burrs. After studying the burrs carefully, de Mestral realized that he had found a new way to attach things to each other.
The Velcro Wall
Looks like fun!
5 Laziest Inventions
Just how lazy can you get?
Deodorant
Another Scents-less Invention
1888: 1st commercial deodorant (Mum) invented by an unknown inventor from Philadelphia.Late 1940's: 1st deodorant based on the ballpoint pen developed by Helen Barnett (Ban Roll-On).
Early 1960's: 1st anti-perspirant aerosol deodorant (Right Guard).
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Deodorant: Because People Stink
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We sweat. We smell. It stinks. Throughout the centuries that has been a problem as people began to live and work in close quarters. There's no question that perspiration pits = P-U. The questions to be answered are: why do we smell, how do deodorants...
Trivia And Quizzes
- The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread Quiz
- What do you know about the things we use in the kitchen? Have fun - that is what this site is all about.
- Velcro: It's Got Staying Power
- Here's a little quiz about one of the simplest yet most useful inventions of the 20th century. (Don't worry: The questions won't be too sticky!)
- Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
- This is a well-known #1 "New York Times" bestseller, written by Dr. Richard Carlson. How much do you know about "Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life?"
Toilet Paper - A Necessity!
In 1857 the first "modern" Toilet Tissue was developed by Joseph Gayetty of New York. This "Therapeutic Paper" was sold in packages of 500 sheets for $.50. "Gayetty's Medicated Paper" contained aloe and was marketed as a means to cure sores and prevent piles (hemorrhoids). His name was printed on each sheet.Read more about Toilet Paper at All About Toilet Paper
by MKBennetts
I'm the mother of 3 wonderful children. Still wondering what I want to be when I grow up... (more)
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