Edison Never Invented Anything
Thomas Edison was a businessman, ideas-man, inventor, and more. He invented things, but more-so he collected patents, headed a team of developers, and created companies.
Tools, Objects, and Inventions
Tools are any object (typically a physical object) that can be used by a life form (typically a human) to perform a function. This includes instruments used for the sciences, machines, equipment, devices, and more. For the purposes of FactMyth.com this section is a “catch-all” for usable objects so this includes all tools, objects, and inventions not strictly meant as art.
The Sensorama Was the First VR Device
The Sensorama (1962) can be considered the first Virtual Reality device, it was a head-mounted display that played 3D film accompanied by sound, moving air, and aromas to create a virtual sensory environment.
Watches and Clocks Are Typically Set to 10:10 in Ads
Watches are typically, but not always, set to 10:10 (or close) in advertisements. This is mostly for aesthetic reasons and simplicity.
The Power Glove Was the First Gesture-Based Game Controller
Nintendo’s Power Glove, released in October 1989, was the first mass marketed gesture-based gaming controller.
Benjamin Franklin Invented Bifocals
Benjamin Franklin is credited with inventing bifocals, although evidence suggests he may have been simply an early adopter of the split-bifocal lens.
Galileo Invented the Telescope
The telescope is credited to Hans Lippershey in 1608. The following year Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei began making improvements to its design.
The Antikythera Mechanism is the Oldest Analog Computer
The ancient Greek device, the Antikythera mechanism (circa 200 – 100 BC), is generally considered to be the world’s oldest known mechanical analog computer.
The First Hard Drive Was Announced in 1956
The engineers at IBM’s San Jose California laboratory invented the hard disk drive as early as 1953, but it’s first commercial use wasn’t until 1956.