However, not every invention is a knockout. Here are 10 odd historical inventions that didn’t make it. Coke is globally known as one of the most popular soft drinks in the world. So, in 1985 ...

These could be the earliest discovered spindle whorls, technology that was then seemingly lost for 4000 years.

Dubbed China's Useless Edison, his fame has grown because his inventions are seen as odd, and often unnecessary. The former plumber, who lives in the northern province of Hebei, became an internet ...

This story appears in the June 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine. Thomas Edison liked to say that he never failed. He succeeded every now and again with an invention that would change the ...

It’s amazing how something that seems like a mistake can turn into a groundbreaking discovery that changes the world. These happy accidents remind us that even when things don’t go according ...

As an instance of the odd jobs it is put to do, we may mention that a particular balk of oaken timber being wanted from the middle of a stack, an immense number of laborers were told off to haul ...

Every year for over two decades, TIME editors have highlighted the most impactful new products and ideas in TIME’s Best Inventions issue. To compile this year’s list, we solicited nominations ...

Bloomberg / Getty Images World-changing inventions like the printing press, the radio, and the internet opened new ways for people to communicate and share knowledge. In many cases, blockchain ...

Step into the world of the unusual with America's quirkiest museums. From mustard to ventriloquist dummies, explore the ...