I don't know. Someone please tell me if they do know. However, numerous heart shaped objects and Valentine's Day card ideas have been patented. In honor of Valentine's Day here are a few articles of interest:

• The History of Valentine's Day
• Heart Shaped Patents
• Gallery of Valentine's Day Cards
• Patenting of an Aphrodisiac
• History of Chocolate

St Valentine Day has roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the Valentine day is Cupid, the Roman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow. Valentine Factoid: In the 1840s, Esther Howland (1828-1904), a native of Massachusetts, began to sell the nation's first mass-produced valentines. Patent Drawing: USPTO

Trademarks of Love

Can love be trademarked? I did a search for love at the Patent and Trademark Office and I found eight thousand, two hundred and sixty two word marks alone with love involved. A few of my favorites were: True Love, Make Love Not Dinner, Love and Marriage, That's Amore, Starting New Love Affairs Daily, Luv Bites, I Love Lucy, I Love You Honey, and Love You To Death.

The mark to the right comprises the stylized term "love" and design and is registered to the Apon Record Company.

A new HBO movie about the life of inventor Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes, will premiere February 6, at 8 PM. This bio-pic is about an autism-afflicted teenager [Temple Grandin] who, in later years, become one of the world's leading experts in animal behaviour.

Temple Grandin has always been a hero of mine because of her advocacy of the humane treatment of livestock animals. I only recently realized that Temple has also been a long-time advocate for young people afflicted with autism, a condition which she refers to as "the far side of darkness". So far, critics have given the film rave reviews.

Photo Credit: Actress Claire Danes (L) and Dr. Temple Grandin of 'Temple Grandin' speak during the HBO portion of the 2010 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Hotel on January 14, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Before 1450, nearly everyone thought that the earth was flat and that wheels drove the sun, stars and the moon. People also thought that the earth was the center of all stars which were stuck in some giant awning that covered the earth.

Learn about the invention of the first globes. Miniature representations of the earth in the form of globes and terrain models called armillary spheres have a long history. Illustration Mary Bellis

• View Photos of Famous Globes
• History of the Armillary Sphere
• Nicholas Copernicus 1473 - 1543

Did you know that the image of Mickey Mouse is the most reproduced in the world? Over 7,500 items bear his likeness. Jesus is number two, and Elvis is number three. Mickey Mouse's likeness was conceived by Walt Disney himself, who you might be surprised to find out was also an inventor. Walt Disney was granted U.S. patent 2,201,689 for his "art of animation" camera on May 1, 1940. Getty Images Photo: Mickey And Minnie Mouse Welcome Everyone To Hong Kong Disneyland Resort