Inventions and Transportation30 Trivia Questions13 Easy · 10 Medium · 7 Hard

Inventions Trivia: 30 Melted Pocket Bars, 3D Wallpaper & Accidental Breakthroughs

Forget memorizing patent numbers—explore 30 wild stories behind the microwave oven, Bubble Wrap, Play-Doh, Velcro, and the world's greatest accidental inventions.

What melted in Percy Spencer's pocket and inspired the microwave oven?

Question 1 of 30Easy

1.What melted in Percy Spencer's pocket and inspired the microwave oven?

What were the creators of Bubble Wrap originally trying to invent?

Question 2 of 30Easy

2.What were the creators of Bubble Wrap originally trying to invent?

Why did two Scottish doctors invent the chainsaw in 1785?

Question 3 of 30Hard

3.Why did two Scottish doctors invent the chainsaw in 1785?

How long after the tin can's invention came the first can opener?

Question 4 of 30Medium

4.How long after the tin can's invention came the first can opener?

What clung to a Swiss engineer's dog and inspired Velcro?

Question 5 of 30Easy

5.What clung to a Swiss engineer's dog and inspired Velcro?

How old was Frank Epperson when he accidentally invented the Popsicle?

Question 6 of 30Easy

6.How old was Frank Epperson when he accidentally invented the Popsicle?

What dirty household chore was Play-Doh originally formulated to tackle?

Question 7 of 30Medium

7.What dirty household chore was Play-Doh originally formulated to tackle?

What was the treadmill originally invented for in 1818 England?

Question 8 of 30Medium

8.What was the treadmill originally invented for in 1818 England?

What material formed the shell of Douglas Engelbart's first computer mouse?

Question 9 of 30Easy

9.What material formed the shell of Douglas Engelbart's first computer mouse?

What was naval engineer Richard James designing when he invented the Slinky?

Question 10 of 30Medium

10.What was naval engineer Richard James designing when he invented the Slinky?

Which fire-starting device was actually invented three years before friction matches?

Question 11 of 30Hard

11.Which fire-starting device was actually invented three years before friction matches?

How did engineer Wilson Greatbatch accidentally invent the implantable cardiac pacemaker?

Question 12 of 30Hard

12.How did engineer Wilson Greatbatch accidentally invent the implantable cardiac pacemaker?

What was NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson testing when he invented the Super Soaker?

Question 13 of 30Easy

13.What was NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson testing when he invented the Super Soaker?

What piece of furniture inspired Sylvan Goldman's first 1937 shopping cart?

Question 14 of 30Medium

14.What piece of furniture inspired Sylvan Goldman's first 1937 shopping cart?

How did Coca-Cola become carbonated at Jacobs' Pharmacy in 1886?

Question 15 of 30Easy

15.How did Coca-Cola become carbonated at Jacobs' Pharmacy in 1886?

What inspired Mary Anderson to patent the windshield wiper in 1903?

Question 16 of 30Medium

16.What inspired Mary Anderson to patent the windshield wiper in 1903?

Why are classic Post-it Notes canary yellow instead of white?

Question 17 of 30Easy

17.Why are classic Post-it Notes canary yellow instead of white?

Which thorny tree inspired Illinois farmers to invent barbed wire in 1874?

Question 18 of 30Hard

18.Which thorny tree inspired Illinois farmers to invent barbed wire in 1874?

What did French physician René Laennec roll up for the first stethoscope?

Question 19 of 30Medium

19.What did French physician René Laennec roll up for the first stethoscope?

Why didn't Édouard Bénédictus's dropped glass flask shatter in 1903?

Question 20 of 30Hard

20.Why didn't Édouard Bénédictus's dropped glass flask shatter in 1903?

How did New York merchant Thomas Sullivan accidentally invent the teabag?

Question 21 of 30Easy

21.How did New York merchant Thomas Sullivan accidentally invent the teabag?

What was chemist Stephanie Kwolek researching when she invented bulletproof Kevlar?

Question 22 of 30Medium

22.What was chemist Stephanie Kwolek researching when she invented bulletproof Kevlar?

How did the Kellogg brothers accidentally create flaked breakfast cereal in 1894?

Question 23 of 30Easy

23.How did the Kellogg brothers accidentally create flaked breakfast cereal in 1894?

What grew in Alexander Fleming's unwashed Petri dish during his 1928 vacation?

Question 24 of 30Easy

24.What grew in Alexander Fleming's unwashed Petri dish during his 1928 vacation?

Who built a famous early water thermoscope in 1593 Padua?

Question 25 of 30Medium

25.Who built a famous early water thermoscope in 1593 Padua?

What crucial design change unlocked Elias Howe's 1846 lockstitch sewing machine?

Question 26 of 30Hard

26.What crucial design change unlocked Elias Howe's 1846 lockstitch sewing machine?

How did Bertha Benz unclog a blocked fuel pipe on history's first road trip?

Question 27 of 30Medium

27.How did Bertha Benz unclog a blocked fuel pipe on history's first road trip?

Which agricultural machine did Johannes Gutenberg adapt for his 1440 printing press?

Question 28 of 30Easy

28.Which agricultural machine did Johannes Gutenberg adapt for his 1440 printing press?

Why did chef George Crum slice potatoes paper-thin in 1853 Saratoga?

Question 29 of 30Easy

29.Why did chef George Crum slice potatoes paper-thin in 1853 Saratoga?

What plant fiber gave Thomas Edison's 1880 light bulb a 1,200-hour glow?

Question 30 of 30Hard

30.What plant fiber gave Thomas Edison's 1880 light bulb a 1,200-hour glow?