Inventions
Invention of the Shopping Cart
Modern, four-wheeled shopping carts were invented around 1937 by Sylvan Goldman, owner of the Standard Food and Humpty Dumpty grocery store chains in Oklahoma. Before then, shoppers either used hand baskets or the two-wheeled kind of carts. They also shopped more often.
The four-wheeled carts paved the way for the rise of massive supermarkets and big-box stores, because they allowed shoppers to accumulate more stuff before heading to the checkout.
However, in later years Goldman revealed that shoppers were initially reluctant to use the four-wheeled carts. They reminded women of pushing a baby carriage, and men thought they were unmanly.
So Goldman hired attractive models to push the carts around his stores:
"This was the gimmick that did the trick and the carts were then accepted without further difficulty," Goldman said.
Albuquerque Journal - Aug 27, 1976
Posted By: Alex - Sun Aug 07, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions
Flying Wings
In some alternate timeline, the skies are full of flying wing-type airplanes.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 22, 2016 -
Comments (6)
Category: Inventions, Air Travel and Airlines, 1940s, Armed Forces
Odd Bicycles
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jul 18, 2016 -
Comments (1)
Category: Bicycles and Other Human-powered Vehicles, Eccentrics, Inventions, 1930s
Clip-On Armpit Fan
The latest invention from Japan. Sold by Thanko.If you're wearing shorts, you could also use it as a crotch fan.
via RocketNews 24
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 15, 2016 -
Comments (8)
Category: Inventions
Tricycle Black Maria
Served the extra duty of public humiliation of criminal.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jul 11, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Bicycles and Other Human-powered Vehicles, Cops, Crime, Inventions, Nineteenth Century
The Alkoholomat
Don't drive drunk on the holiday--or any day! The penalty could be worse even than ending up as an item in NOTW!
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jul 04, 2016 -
Comments (2)
Category: Humor, Inventions, 1960s, Europe, Alcohol, Cars
Bob “Bazooka” Burns
Full story here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 28, 2016 -
Comments (2)
Category: Inventions, Outsider Art, 1940s, Comedians
Trick Valise
March 1937: A tricked-out payroll satchel foiled would-be robbers. From Newsweek (Apr 3, 1937):Quite ingenious, but seems like it would work only once, since after that everyone would know what the trick was. So how did they protect the payroll subsequently?
Newsweek - Apr 3, 1937
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Mar 26, 1937
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 18, 2016 -
Comments (5)
Category: Crime, Inventions, 1930s
Now you can lick your cat
The inventors of the Licki Brush say, "We have designed LICKI brush to bring you and your cat closer. By using LICKI with your cat on a regular basis, you'll develop a more intimate and bonded relationship, much like a mama cat bonds with her young."As of May 22, on Kickstarter they're one-third of the way to successfully funding the manufacture of this thing.
Posted By: Alex - Sun May 22, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Cats
AbsorbPlate
It's a plate that makes food healthier by soaking up excess calories, according to its creators (the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and BBDO Bangkok):I have an idea that would work even better — a smaller plate.
Posted By: Alex - Fri May 20, 2016 -
Comments (8)
Category: Food, Health, Inventions
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |