There have been a lot of inventions that changed history, but a little toy from the late ’70s called Merlin was the inspiration for the iPhone. That is one of the many Inventions That Changed History that are featured in the series’ third and fourth episodes on Discovery+.
In these two episodes, they look at Silly String, Disco Ball, Teddy Ruxpin, Squatty Potty, Twister, Pinball, Bubble Blower and Lava Lamps, Mood Ring, Ouija Board, Slinky, Silly Putty, Merlin, and the Pez Dispenser.
Almost all of those items have a special place in our childhoods, but some of them were created in our great-great-grandparents’ childhoods, like the Pinball machine.
Each invention has an interesting history. Can you guess which history belongs to what invention? Did you know that Teddy Ruxpin is not a teddy bear? Which invention made $1 million overnight after appearing on Shark Tank? The inventors of one product tested it out on the owners of a company. Needless to say, the owners did not like it.
One game was considered too risque to sell in stores, so it wasn’t. In fact, it looked like a total failure until Johnny Carson played it on The Tonight Show. Then the next day, everyone wanted to own one. While that game was censored, another one was banned in several cities. So much so, NYC would send forces in to destroy them.
Did you know a tobacco heir created the first mood ring? You are never going to believe how the Ouija board got its name. There is an even crazier story about how it got its patent so quickly. Can you guess which inventor quit the business to translate Bibles in Bolivia? Which toy was a failed experiment?
And my favorite, which invention was inspired during a night of drinking?
As much as I am loving this series, I hate how much it is costing me. I run to Amazon after like every segment to buy something. The only item I returned was the Sea Monkeys. To find out why you have to watch the first two episodes. And then when you are done, you can watch these two.
