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20 Everyday Things You Didn’t Know Had Surprising Origins

by Alison W November 29, 2024, 2:02 am

20 Everyday Things You Didn’t Know Had Surprising Origins

Fact: Many of the everyday items we take for granted have fascinating backstories that stretch across continents, centuries, and cultures. From accidental discoveries to ingenious innovations, these objects have become an essential part of our lives. Let’s explore 40 everyday things and their surprising origins

#1 Sunglasses

Sunglasses

Sunglasses were first used in 12th-century China, not for UV protection, but to hide judges’ facial expressions in court.

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#2 Forks

Forks

Forks originated in ancient Persia and spread to Europe in the 11th century, initially viewed as excessive luxury.

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#3 Champagne

Champagne

Champagne, known as "bubbly," was a mistake by Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon in the 17th century when fermentation caused unintended carbonation.

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#4 Chewing Gum

Chewing Gum

Ancient Mayans chewed tree sap (chicle), but modern chewing gum came about when Thomas Adams experimented with chicle as a rubber substitute in the 1860s.

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#5 Matchsticks

Matchsticks

Modern matches were invented in 1826 by accident when John Walker, a chemist, scraped a stick coated with chemicals and caused it to ignite.

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#6 Rubber Gloves

Rubber Gloves

Rubber gloves were created in 1894 by Dr. William Stewart Halsted to protect his nurse (and wife) from the harsh chemicals used during surgery.

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#7 Lipstick

Lipstick

The first documented use of lipstick was by Sumerian men and women over 5,000 years ago, made from crushed gemstones.

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#8 Treadmills

Treadmills

Originally, treadmills were punishment devices in 19th-century English prisons, forcing inmates to grind grain or pump water.

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#9 Cornflakes

Cornflakes

The Kellogg brothers accidentally left boiled wheat out, which became flaky. When toasted, these flakes became the breakfast staple we know today.

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#10 Bubble Wrap

Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap was initially intended to be textured wallpaper. It was repurposed as protective packaging by its inventors, Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding, in 1960.

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#11 Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola was originally intended as a medicinal tonic in 1886 by John Stith Pemberton, containing both cocaine and caffeine from coca leaves and kola nuts.

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#12 Band-Aids

Band-Aids

Earle Dickson, a Johnson & Johnson employee, invented Band-Aids in 1920 for his wife, who frequently cut herself while cooking.

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#13 Ice Cream Cones

Ice Cream Cones

The ice cream cone was popularized at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair when a vendor ran out of cups and partnered with a nearby waffle maker to roll waffles into cones.

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#14 Tea Bags

Tea Bags

Tea bags were an unintentional invention by American merchant Thomas Sullivan in 1908, who sent tea samples in silk bags. Customers mistakenly steeped the entire bag, creating the modern tea bag.

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#15 Umbrellas

Umbrellas

The umbrella dates back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, initially designed as sunshades for royalty.

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#16 Blue Jeans

Blue Jeans

Levi Strauss invented blue jeans in 1873 as durable work pants for miners during the California Gold Rush.

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#17 Velcro

Velcro

Velcro’s design was inspired by burrs that clung to inventor George de Mestral’s dog during a walk in 1941. The hooked seeds led him to create this revolutionary fastening system.

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#18 Microwave Ovens

Microwave Ovens

Microwave technology was discovered when Percy Spencer noticed a candy bar melting in his pocket while working with radar equipment in 1945.

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#19 High Heels

High Heels

High heels were first worn by Persian men in the 10th century to help them secure their feet in stirrups while riding horses.

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#20 Potato Chips

Potato Chips

Potato chips were born from spite in 1853 when a chef, George Crum, sliced potatoes extremely thin to annoy a picky customer. To his surprise, they became a hit.

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Written by Alison W

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