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The alarm clock was not invented by the Marquis de Sade, as some suspect, but rather by a man named Levi Hutchins of Concord, New Hampshire, in 1787. Perversity, though, characterized his invention from the beginning. The alarm on his clock could ring only at 4 am. Rumor has it that Hutchins was murdered by his wife at 4:05 am on a very dark and deeply cold New England morning.

Craven Walker invented the lava lamp, and its contents are colored wax and water

In 1916, Jones Wister of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania invented a rifle for shooting around corners. It had a curved barrel and periscopic sights.

The same man who led the attack on the Alamo, Mexican Military General, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, is also credited with the invention of chewing gum.

The parachute was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in 1515.
At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, Richard Blechyden, and Englishman, had a tea concession. On a very hot day, none of the fairgoers were interested in hot tea. Blechyden served the tea cold—and invented iced tea.


Jeanne Pierre Francois Blanchard built the first parachute and tested it using a dog. He put the dog in a basket equipped with his invention and then dropped it from a hot air balloon. It was a giant step forward for aviation history, but a giant step backwards in establishing the dog as man's best friend.

Henry Waterman, of New York, invented the elevator in 1850. He intended it to transport barrels of flour.

John Greenwood, also of New York invented the dental drill in 1790.

The corkscrew was invented by M.L. Bryn, also of New York, in 1860.

Electrical hearing aids were invented in 1901 by Miller R. Hutchinson, who was (you guessed it) from New York.

Dr. Jonas Salk developed the vaccine for polio in 1952, in New York (aaah!).

Four wheel roller skates were invented by James L. Plimpton in 1863. Can you guess where?