Is necessity the mother of Invention?

Invention is a Mother

An old saying goes, Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

Don’t miss Joe Aspler’s presentation August 14, right here on our website! Live on Zoom.

Or is it? The paths of modern civilization are strewn with the wreckage of failed inventions. Some were noble efforts that lost out to better or more versatile technologies. Some represented the expenditure of vast sums of money on products that make us say WTF were they even thinking? Some represented the wishful thinking of generations of SF fans and other futurists.

Zeppelins? Autogiros? Rocket packs? Flying cars? Fake leather? Zero calorie fat substitutes? Betamax?

In this talk, we will review some great and not-so-great inventions. Some we can look back on wistfully, and some with a giggle.

2 thoughts on “Is necessity the mother of Invention?”

    1. Interesting! I wonder how many of these actually came to be. I can see a few appear to be absolutely useless!! A combined electric hairbrush and comb?

      Gernsback held 80 patents by the time of his death in New York City on August 19, 1967.[34]

      His first patent was a new method for manufacturing dry-cell batteries, a patent applied for on June 28, 1906, and granted February 5, 1907.[35]

      Among his inventions are a combined electric hair brush and comb (US Patent 1,016,138), 1912; an ear cushion (US Patent 1,514,152), 1927; and a hydraulic fishery (US Patent 2,718,083), 1955.[36]

      Other patents held by Gernsback are related to: Incandescent Lamp, Electrorheostat Regulator, Electro Adjustable Condenser, Detectorium, Relay, Potentiometer, Electrolytic Interrupter, Rotary Variable Condenser, Luminous Electric Mirror, Transmitter, Postal Card, Telephone Headband, Electromagnetic Sounding Device, Submersible Amusement Device, Apparatus for Landing Flying Machines, Tuned Telephone Receiver, Electric Valve, Detector, Acoustic Apparatus, Electrically Operated Fountain, Cord Terminal, Coil Mounting, Radio Horn, Variable Condenser, Switch, Telephone Receiver, Crystal Detector, Process for Mounting Inductances, Depilator, Code Learner’s Instrument.[35]

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