Have you ever seen an invention and thought, ‘That’s completely bonkers!’? Well, hold onto your hats! History is filled with quirky ideas that, at first glance, seem totally out there. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find some of these wild creations are more than just novelties—they’re surprisingly useful.
From gadgets born in university labs to solutions dreamt up in moments of crisis, these inventions prove that brilliance can come in the most unexpected packages. Get ready to explore ten absurd inventions that are actually quite handy!
10Airbags for Smartphones
We all know that awful feeling when our smartphone tumbles towards the floor. A cracked screen is a modern-day tragedy! But what if your phone had its own protective cushion? In 2018, Philip Frenzel, a German student, unveiled what he called a “mobile airbag.”
It’s a super smart phone case with eight curved “feet” tucked away at the corners. If your phone takes a dive, these feet spring out to soften the landing. Unlike car airbags that are one-and-done, these nifty feet can be used again and again. It’s a dream come true for the slightly clumsy among us! Frenzel even won an award from the German Society of Mechatronics for his clever idea, though it’s still being fine-tuned.
9Reversible Superglue
Superglue is amazing for its strength, but what if you need a strong bond that isn’t permanent? Most reversible glues are too weak. This is where a new kind of superglue, inspired by snails, comes in. Yes, snails!
Scientists studied snail mucus, the stuff that lets them cling to tricky surfaces like rocks. This “epiphragm” is a temporary seal that locks in moisture. The new glue works similarly. When it’s wet, it’s soft and molds easily. But as it dries, it becomes incredibly strong, like regular superglue. How strong? Researchers say two postage stamp-sized pieces held up a 192-pound person! This invention cleverly fills the gap for a strong, yet undoable, adhesive.
8Device That Talks to Venus Fly Traps
Talking to your houseplants might not be so strange after all! Scientists in Singapore have developed a device that allows them to communicate with plants, specifically a Venus fly trap. It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but it’s real.
The team at Nanyang Technological University attached a tiny electrode to the plant. This device can pick up the faint electrical signals naturally released by the plant and even send pulses back. While plants don’t chat like we do, this tech could be a game-changer. Researchers hope it could help detect early signs of plant distress or disease, which is vital as climate change threatens our food supply.
7The Whitest Paint in the World
In 2021, scientists earned a Guinness World Record for creating the whitest paint ever. This super-white paint is made using barium sulfate, a common ingredient in paper and cosmetics. Think of it as the opposite of Vantablack, the super-black paint that absorbs almost all light.
This amazing paint reflects a whopping 98.1% of solar radiation. What does that mean? Anything coated in it stays significantly cooler. Painting a 1,000-square-foot roof with this paint could provide cooling power greater than most home air conditioners! Professor Xiulin Ruan, one of the inventors, explained it could help fight global warming. Unlike air conditioners that use power and add heat to the environment, this paint passively reflects heat into space, helping to cool the Earth.
6Body Odor Detector
Ever worried if you need a bit more deodorant? A Japanese company, Tanita, has invented a pocket-sized gadget to help. The ES-100, released in 2018, is like a breathalyzer, but for body odor!
It has a small fold-out arm that you point towards any area you’re concerned about, like your armpits. After about ten seconds, it gives you a score from one to ten. A higher score means you might want to freshen up. It’s a quirky but potentially very useful tool for personal hygiene, especially in cultures where body odor is a sensitive topic.
5Self-Healing Plastic
Imagine a plastic that can mend itself, even underwater! In 2021, researchers introduced RUSSE (Rapid Underwater Self-healing Stiff Elastomer). This material can patch itself up in seconds, even when battered by harsh water conditions, and still retain its strength.
This groundbreaking plastic is made from a soft polymer often found in paints. Tests showed RUSSE could handle stretching, heavy weights, and even hammer blows. When cut in half and pressed together, it healed in just ten seconds. Within five minutes, it was almost back to its original state! While other self-healing plastics exist, very few work underwater. Scientists think RUSSE could be vital in underwater emergencies, like repairing a diver’s broken air tank tube.
4Salt-Sized Camera
Good things often come in small packages, but this is incredible! Scientists at Princeton University have created a camera no bigger than a grain of coarse salt. This tiny marvel uses something called metasurface technology, featuring a thin film covered in 1.6 million tiny cylinders.
This design allows it to capture sharp, full-color images, reportedly as good as a regular camera but half a million times smaller! What’s really cool is how it blends intricate hardware with smart AI software. Machine learning algorithms help clear up its images. Researchers hope that one day these cameras could even detect objects or signs of illness inside the human body. Though still in development, mass production looks feasible once the design is complete.
3Contraceptive Testicle Bath
This one might raise a few eyebrows! In 2021, inventor Rebecca Weiss won Germany’s prestigious James Dyson Award for her unique creation: a contraceptive testicle bath called COSO. This device uses ultrasound waves as a form of birth control for men.
The COSO device emits sonic rays that temporarily stop sperm from moving, with the effects said to last for a few months. Weiss, an industrial design graduate, was inspired to create it after her own health issues linked to oral contraceptive pills. She and her partner were surprised by the lack of male contraceptive options. She stated, “This problem is not unique to me personally… It affects many others.” Her invention aims to provide a much-needed alternative.
2Italian Dildo Remover
Sometimes, necessity truly is the mother of invention, even in unusual circumstances. In 2018, doctors in Milan, Italy, had to get creative when a man arrived at the hospital with a 23-inch rubber dildo stuck inside him for over 24 hours.
After standard methods like using a balloon or snare wire failed due to the object’s size, smoothness, and rigidity, surgery seemed like the only option. However, the quick-thinking medical team improvised a new tool from medical wire and a tiny tube. This custom device allowed them to hook onto the sex toy and carefully remove it. The patient was so grateful he even wrote them a thank-you letter!
1Eco-Friendly Plastic Made from Fish Sperm
When you think of making plastic, fish sperm probably isn’t the first ingredient that comes to mind. But researchers in China might change that! In 2021, they unveiled a new type of eco-friendly bioplastic made primarily from salmon sperm.
They claim this unusual material emits 97% less carbon during its manufacturing process compared to traditional polystyrene plastic. That’s a huge win for the planet! To create it, two strands of salmon DNA are mixed with a chemical from vegetable oil, forming a gel-like substance called hydrogel. This is then freeze-dried and molded. The team has already made items like a cup and puzzle pieces. Unlike oil-based plastics that take centuries to decompose, this bioplastic can be easily recycled using DNA-digesting enzymes or turned back into hydrogel with water. It’s still early days, but salmon sperm could one day play a role in tackling plastic waste.
And there you have it – ten inventions that might have made you chuckle or scratch your head at first, but ultimately prove their worth in surprisingly practical ways. From protecting our gadgets to helping the planet, these creations show that innovation knows no bounds. Sometimes, the most ‘out-there’ ideas can lead to the most impactful solutions. It just goes to show, you should never judge an invention by its cover!
Which of these wacky inventions amazed you the most? Do you know of any others that fit the bill? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
