Have you ever wondered who invented the snooze button, or how the ice cube tray came to be? In this episode, we’ll tell you some fascinating stories behind fourteen everyday inventions—from the mop and vacuum cleaner to the T-shirt and toilet paper. Some are clever, some are curious, and all have shaped the way we live.
Many thanks to Carmen from Malaga for sending us the idea for this week’s podcast on curious inventions.
The wheel: The earliest known wheeled vehicles date back to around 3500 BCE in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq).
The wheel was originally used for pottery around 4000 BCE before being adapted for transportation.
The first modern suitcase with wheels was invented in 1970 by Bernard Sadow, an American luggage executive. However, rolling suitcases became really popular in the 1980s, especially with the introduction of telescoping handles.
The wheelchair (1655) – First designed for King Philip II of Spain, who had gout.
Coca-Cola (1892) – Pharmacist John Pemberton was trying to come up with a cure for headaches using cola nuts and coca leaves. One day his lab assistant accidentally mixed them with carbonated water and invented one of the world’s most popular drinks.
The snooze button (1956) – Some studies show repeatedly hitting snooze can actually make you feel groggier rather than more rested.
The vacuum cleaner (1901) – First powered vacuum was invented by Hubert Cecil Booth in England; it was so large it had to be parked outside, with long hoses running inside buildings. Early vacuum cleaners were often horse-drawn or steam-powered.
1920s–1930s: Smaller, more practical electric vacuum cleaners were introduced, like the Hoover Model O (1908–1919) in the U.S., making them affordable for some households.
The mop (1956) – Invented by Manuel Jalón Corominas, a Spanish engineer, to save people from having to kneel while cleaning floors.
The ice cube tray (1933) – Invented by Lloyd Groff Copeman, inspired by trying to freeze water in layers without spilling it.
Before trays, people used metal cups or carved ice from frozen lakes to make ice.
The ice cream cone (1904) – Popularized at the St. Louis World’s Fair when a vendor ran out of bowls and rolled waffles to hold ice cream.
The selfie stick (1983) – Invented by Hiroshi Ueda in Japan to take photos of himself with friends without asking for help.
Early models were just extendable poles; the “smartphone selfie stick” boom came decades later.
The sock (8th century BCE) – Ancient Greeks wore socks made from animal hair — mostly to keep their sandals comfortable.
The condom (3000 BCE) The Egyptians were the first to use condoms. They were constructed from animal intestines or fish membrane and were used more to protect against STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) than for contraception.
By the 1840s, they were made of vulcanized rubber (invented by Charles Goodyear) and could be washed and reused. Then came latex condoms and the disposable condom in the 1920s.
The umbrella (ancient China) – Originally used as protection from the sun, not rain. Ancient Chinese umbrellas were made of paper or silk and were considered a status symbol.
Toilet paper (6th century China) – The first recorded use of paper for personal hygiene was in China during the Tang dynasty. At first, it was reserved for emperors only! Commoners often used leaves, straw, or cloth.
Viagra (1989) – British scientists working on a treatment for patients with angina, to improve the flow of blood to the heart, were unsuccessful, but accidentally invented the wonder drug that would have an entirely different use, as they noticed the male participants in the trials getting excited for an entirely different reason!
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