World's most pointless inventions

  • Thread starter Artman
  • Start date
In summary, the purpose of a leaf blower is to move a mess from one place to another, without really getting rid of it. Some other wasteful or pointless inventions are exercise balls, compared to regular inflatable balls, chopsticks, compared to a fork, electric nose-hail trimmers, hot water heaters in Texas in the summer, and left-handed screwdrivers.
  • #36
Ig Nobel prize

Presented each year at Harvard by the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2005 winner:
Neuticles are prosthetic testicles for neutered dogs. Creator Gregg Miller has recently won the Ig Nobel Prize for medicine for this invention. Miller has sold more than 150,000 of this product.
:smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #37
The wheel.
 
  • #38
Phone! You just fall asleep and it suddenly rings.:cry: You're having a nice time out of home, and youre mobile phone rings...
 
  • #39
If you don't want to be bothered, turn your mobile off, and unplug your landline.
 
  • #40
Artman said:
What are some other wasteful or pointless inventions?

LOL ...

I opened up GD and saw this sitting at the top - but my brain read it "World's most pointless invasions."

:smile:

-Patty

p.s. not trying to derail the thread...
 
  • #41
You've been spending entirely too much time in the Politics section, Patty.:-p
 
  • #42
You are all completely missing the point of how a leaf blower works: You blow the dirt and debris onto your neighbor's property. Once it crosses the property line the debris no longer exists. Duh!

And I think my first answer is still the best. Everything else listed does at least have a claimed purpose, but what pupose does a tie serve? My theory is that the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife. That is, ties seemed to be designed to allow someone else to grab and pull.
 
  • #43
Ivan Seeking said:
My theory is that the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife.
I believe that it was a downsizing of "wearing one's colours".
 
  • #44
I thought ties protected shirts from sloppy eaters.
 
  • #45
Ivan Seeking said:
the tie was invented by a woman - a mother or wife. That is, ties seemed to be designed to allow someone else to grab and pull.
I only let them grab one thing that's attache to me.
:biggrin:
 
  • #46
There's that warning bar again...
 
  • #47
matthyaouw said:
If you don't want to be bothered, turn your mobile off, and unplug your landline.
:smile: :smile: 1 of things everyone is nagging about it, is why I always turn off my mobile even when I promise I'll turn it on!
 
  • #48
Check the picture...
 

Attachments

  • uppfinning.jpg
    uppfinning.jpg
    38.7 KB · Views: 529
  • #49
Cyclovenom said:
Check the picture...

:smile: :smile: :smile:

I love it!

My favorite useless invention. Those stupid desks they use in school that have a bar on one side. Way to small for an armrest, keeps you from reclining and makes you have to use one only on aisle.

Oh, my other favorite, stilletos, (I think that's how you spell) I ask you, why do girls buy shoes to wear to a school dance, then take them off as soon as they get inside? Kinda defeats the purpose, don't you think?
 
  • #50
Cyclovenom said:
Check the picture...

Whats so stupid about that? It appears that the solar panel is for recharging and not required for use at night...
 
  • #51
Cyclovenom said:
Check the picture...

I actually have something similar to that. The panel charges the battery during the day, and it has a small hand powered dynamo too. It's quite useful for camping trips etc. It also has a radio built in. Saves carrying a lot of batteries.
 
  • #52
In theory this is great: Treadmill bike.

I know I like to work out, but just hate being cramped up in a gym.

Why is it pointless? It sure goes down stairs a lot easier than it goes up stairs! And, it sure goes down stairs a lot easier than it stops going down stairs!
 
  • #53
Parachutes that open on impact.
Screen doors for submarines.
Fox News
 
  • #54
For someone who said treadmills is forgetting how useful it is in the winter time. Unless that person enjoys getting frost bite.
 
  • #55
This thread is not complete without...

http://www.dvdrewinder.com/images/rew2001.png

:P
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #56
That's awesome, Proggle! :smile:
 
  • #57
A new winner in the pointless inventions: http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/9c89/.

It doesn't have much memory capacity - in fact it has 0 memory capacity - but it never stops.
 
  • #58
BobG said:
A new winner in the pointless inventions: http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/9c89/.
:eek:
I
want
one
 
  • #59
Ooh. I just noticed something embarrassing about this thread. I was supposed to wait another 15 months. :redface:
 
  • #60
ooo i know, how about that electro-magnet flashlite. where u have to shake it for the battery to recharge. my friend's dad got one and it only turns on for like a few seconds after shaking it like crazy LOL what a rip-off...
 
  • #61
rock as a paper weight (way back then)

people had functional fixation problems or what
 
  • #62
BryanP said:
rock as a paper weight (way back then)

people had functional fixation problems or what

Or no air conditioning and had to worry about the breeze through the window blowing all their important papers across the room. Paperweights weren't a pointless invention - just one that outlived its purpose.
 
  • #63
BobG said:
Or no air conditioning and had to worry about the breeze through the window blowing all their important papers across the room. Paperweights weren't a pointless invention - just one that outlived its purpose.

im not talking about an actual paper weight, I am talking about the pet rock.
 
  • #64
Ivan Seeking said:
Parachutes that open on impact.

That's a smart invention. It's for insurance purposes. :smile:
 
  • #65
jaredmt said:
ooo i know, how about that electro-magnet flashlite. where u have to shake it for the battery to recharge. my friend's dad got one and it only turns on for like a few seconds after shaking it like crazy LOL what a rip-off...

Maybe he just got a defective unit? Mine works quite well.
 
  • #66
Danger said:
Maybe he just got a defective unit? Mine works quite well.

same here

the "faraday flashlight"

it actually helped so much when we had a black-out a few months back lol

stays on for a LONG time and its very bright
 
  • #67
The US has fallen hopelessly behind Canadians in cereal technology. How in the world do they do that?!

Diamond Shreddies
 
  • #68
BobG said:
The US has fallen hopelessly behind Canadians in cereal technology. How in the world do they do that?!

Diamond Shreddies

That's brilliant! :smile:
 
  • #69
More serials are produced in Canada due to the stage union.
 

Similar threads

"New" theory of human movement as described by Tesla. Right?
Replies
1
Views
1K
How do most rich people get rich?
2
Replies
41
Views
4K
Possible Brain Scanner Invention?
Replies
2
Views
2K
What Age Did You Put $ in a Retirement Acct?
3
Replies
70
Views
6K
B Cartesian Space vs. Euclidean Space
Replies
10
Views
698
Physicist monkey and vending machine story
Replies
18
Views
2K
I Need opinions on Youtube video: "From constant moving charge to SR"
Replies
10
Views
278
Advanced life following a universal handbook
2
Replies
45
Views
6K
Coping mechanisms for thermodynamics?
Replies
8
Views
1K
MHB My Failed University Life: Addictions, Depression, and Uncertain Future
Replies
1
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top