The Peril of Being a Black Inventor in the Old South
Some fire departments cared more that Garrett Morgan was black than that his invention—the gas mask—could save firefighters' lives.
Creative Frontiers
The discoveries, inventions, and startups shaping the future
The British Monarchy's First Vacuum Cleaner
H. Cecil Booth's contraption might not have been the first of its kind, but it was the only one endorsed by royalty.
Searching for Superconductivity
The discovery involved "little heroism, more luck than good management, and a starring role for a trainee instrument-maker who dozed off." Maybe.
The Woman Who Invented Disposable Diapers
Today, 95 percent of American babies wear them. But when Marion Donavan tried to find a manufacturer for her idea, the men who controlled the industry brushed her off.
Snowboarding Was Almost Called 'Snurfing'
The man who first patented a "surf-type snow ski" ultimately lost the battle to name the sport.
How the Plastic Bag Became So Popular
It took years of industry advocacy before the cellophane sack, invented in the 1960s, caught on.
The First Soft Contact Lenses Were Created With a Toy Construction Set
Otto Wichterle figured out how to spin plastic by watching his coffee.
NASA Should Have Put a Ring on Orbit
Nineteen professors were given 10 weeks to design an off-Earth colony. Here's what they came up with.
New York Literally Invented Nightlife
The way many Americans go out now—dark restaurants and dance floors—did not exist until the 1920s.
Brewing Bad: The All-Natural Origins of Meth
The drug might be a prototypically contemporary vice, but its discovery was rooted in traditional Eastern medicine.