This Week's Answers
John was curious to know:
I've looked through your list of inventors for the lightbulb, but I can't find any mention of James Bowman Lindsay. Is this an error?
No... not an error, just a sign of the time, research, and information needed to write about every amazing inventor. I do cover hundreds of different inventors and inventions and everyday I learn something new. Thanks for letting me know about Lindsay.
In 1835, James Bowman Lindsay demonstrated a constant electric light using a prototype lightbulb. Timeline of the Lightbulb
Linda inquired:
"I was a little girl when the hula
hoop craze came about. The hula hoop was manufactured at Skyline Plastics
Inc. in my home town of Titusville, PA (part of Phillips Petroleum). I
was always told that the hula hoop was invented by a person within that
company. Recently I saw that the inventor passed away - a person who worked
for Wham-O. I was taken by surprise. Did you find anything in your research
that either mentioned this company or who I have been told is the "true
inventor"? Is it possible that this is just a "folk lore" from my home
town? OR did someone either steal the idea or buy it from him?"
Ahh the complex world of inventing...
The hula hoop is an ancient invention - no modern company or inventor can claim that they invented the first hula hoop. Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin founded the Wham-O company that re-invented the hula hoop for modern times. Wham-O's hula hoop were made from Marlex®, a material invented by research chemists Paul Hogan and Robert Banks of Phillips Petroleum.
...So you see in a way, both stories hold truth. Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin re-invented, designed, and marketed a modern hula hoop made from a material invented by the Phillips Petroleum chemists.
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Still Camera
Lasagna
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