The World's Worst Inventions
summary
Victorian-era Tempest prognosticator uses leeches in jars (1851) and rings bells — surprisingly accurate but impractical to maintain. A 15 mm × 1.4 mm yeast fuel cell demonstrator exists and can self-repair but loses power under high load and is easily poisoned. The Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kid grinds plastic and chewed through hair, causing over 100 documented injuries before recall. Water-activated Aquadots metabolize into GHB, prompting hospital visits. Gilbert’s kids’ uranium kit actually includes uranium ore; CIA’s acoustic kitty dies 12 seconds into its first mission.
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chapters (47)
- 0:00Intro
- 1:38Bad reputation
- 2:19ASTHMA CIGARETTES
- 3:00Early inventions
- 3:15Inventions flourished
- 3:33Tempest Prognosticator
- 3:43Dr George Merryweather
- 3:59Predict Weather
- 4:51One of the grandest ideas that ever emanated from the mind of man.
- 5:14Little comrades... do not endure the affliction of solitary confinement.
- 5:53Never widely adopted
- 6:06Blood fueled devices
- 6:38SCO Lawyers
- 7:03Blood != Fuel
- 7:21Cool things...
- 7:50Power?
- 8:11Living fuel cell?
- 8:41Scalable!
- 9:09High load
- 9:43Toys
- 10:00Sometimes, they go wrong...
- 10:41Feed it a plastic snack
- 10:54Grind it into dust...
- 11:45Mouth sensors
- 12:33Over 100 injuries...
- 13:13Melty beads
- 13:36High temperatures
- 13:48Aqua Dots
- 14:06Water activated adhesive
- 14:431,4-butanediol
- 15:05GBH Liquid Ecstasy Fantasy
- 15:46Full product recall
- 17:27Emergency Devices
- 17:45Optimise secondary issues
- 17:55Pranksters
- 18:51Traps your arm
- 19:05Inspired modern designs
- 19:23Fire survival
- 19:38Smoke inhalation
- 19:51US Patent #4320756
- 21:01Modern Age?
- 21:11Animals for intelligence
- 21:35$20 million
- 21:45First mission
- 22:04Time in field before failure?
- 22:26Advertising...
- 23:19Device for you?
