People have always been creative, and this is a big factor that led to our evolution as a species. Just think about it. Where would we be now without all of the inventions that we have today? And the best and funniest part is that many of the things that changed the way we live were created in one of the most trivial places ever. Stay with us here on Science in the World and discover the most amazing things invented in people’s garages!
Get ready to find out more about some of the weirdest and most wonderful creations that we all know about today. Telephones, vacuums, toys, and other various tools – they all have incredible stories!
1. Telephone
This is an invention that has had an immense impact on the way the world communicates today. You probably have a cell phone in your hand or in your pocket right now, right? This wouldn’t have been possible without the invention of the first telephone.
During the 19th century, they were not calling them garages, but somewhere in a carriage house in Canada, back in the 1870s, the one and only Alexander Graham Bell created the first telephone.
Amazing, isn’t it? And there is more: when talking about things invented in people’s garages, we also have to mention that later in 1876, Bell also made the first long-distance call directly from the same carriage house.
2. Etch A Sketch
Making a mistake is annoying, and most of us hate when it happens. Whether we like it or not, this is a natural process that all of us will go through for the rest of our lives. But here we are telling you incredible stories about things invented in people’s garages, and now we want to present to you how the Etch A Sketch was born.
So, as we said, making mistakes isn’t the most pleasant thing, but what would happen if you could just shake it off and literally just try again? In the 1950s, French electrical technician André Cassagnes made this possible for kids all around the world by inventing this drawing toy that was capable of letting you erase everything and try again.
In 1959, the toy made its debut at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, and It was originally offered for sale in the US in 1960. What a time to be a kid!
3. Amazon
This giant we’ve all heard about is one of those things invented in people’s garages. Believe it or not, many other businesses like Amazon were born in the same way. All you need are a handful of determined people and a place to start, in this case, a garage.
The world’s biggest online marketplace was developed beginning in 1994 in one of the smallest places in the world, Bellevue, Washington. The garage was the property of none other than the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos.
Business Insider claims that Bezos and his wife were unable to use a hair dryer or a vacuum without blowing a fuse because the Amazon servers used all of the electricity in the tiny garage. But maybe that’s how you start an empire.
4. Dyson Vacuum
Dyson is probably one of the most popular brands of vacuum cleaners. And we can totally understand why. They are incredibly powerful, and guess what? They are also one of the things invented in people’s garages.
In the 1970s, Sir Jason Dyson, a British engineer, became tired of all the vacuum cleaners that were losing suction and not doing a great job. And this is why, one day, he had the incredible idea of a more efficient and practical way of cleaning the floors without compromising suction.
The real breakthrough of the Dyson vacuums was in 1983 with the invention of the model known as the”G-force”. This was something completely new; it didn’t have a disposable bag and was cleaning like no other vacuum.
If you want to buy a Dyson Vacuum cleaner, you can try the WLUPEL Cordless Vacuum Cleaner.
5. Personal Computer
You might have a personal computer, or PC, at home, or you are reading this article on one. These devices changed the way we have access to information, and now they are everywhere. At the office, at home, or in the hospital, you can find a PC in almost any place.
Now, the Apple Computer, which was built in 1976, was neither one of the things invented in people’s garages nor the first PC ever created. If we were to look at the data provided by the Computer History Museum, we could find out that the honor of being the first personal computer ever belongs to the Kenbak-1.
This machinery was built by John Blankenbake in his own garage in 1971. The Kenbak-1 was marketed to schools and sold for $750. The creator was hoping that this PC would be useful in introducing the students to the field of programming. Unfortunately, only 40 were produced, and production stopped in 1973.
6. Metal Detector
As soon as we said metal detector, you probably already imagined that classic picture of a random guy who has this strange device with him while he is searching for ancient treasures and lost coins. We want you to know that the metal detector is also one of the things invented in people’s garages.
Today, this device is mainly used by the military and airport security, and all of that is thanks to its inventor, Dr. Gerhard Fisher, who also received the patent for inventing the first metal detector.
This device was named the “Metallascope”, and it was made from two wooden boxes that were connected by copper collins and some vacuum tubes. It was created in Palo Alto, California, in 1931 by Fisher and four of his colleagues. Fisher Research Labs was the place where the machine was born. This is a fancy name for the garage of the creator.
7. Chuckit!
This is one of the most popular dog toys ever, and our companions are glad that it exists. It is cheap, it is simple, and most importantly, it is entertaining. What more can you want from a toy? For us, it sounds like perfection.
The Chuckit! is a ball launcher that can shoot long distances. Ideal for those dogs that love to chase and run. Even more, the best part is that when you want to throw the ball again, you don’t have to touch the ball that is covered in drool. Nope. You can pick it up with the stick.
All the dog owners and pets that enjoy playing with the Chuckit! need to say a big thank you to its creators, Mark Oblack and Mariel Head, for making all of these things possible. And since we are talking about things invented in people’s garages, we need to mention that this toy was also designed in a garage in 1998.
8. Oculus Rift
This one is a modern invention, and it might be something most of us wish to have. The Oculus Rift is a VR (virtual reality) headset that is designed to take you to another reality. This must be one of those things that changes the way people play computer or console games, but it can also have many more functions.
The first prototype of the Oculus Rift was created by Palmer Luckey in the garage of his parents in Long Beach, California when he was only 17. Later, he sold the invention to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for $2 billion.
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