‘Inventions that Changed the World’ on Discovery+

Category: Television and Streaming

 

There are many everyday items we take for granted. Some are important to our lives yet some have gone by the wayside. There are inventions that were flash-in-the-pans, and others that we think of fondly from our childhood. And there are those that have remained integral parts of our lives. The series Inventions that Changed History on Discovery+ takes viewers into the history of some of these inventions and shows the evolution of many items.

The first episode looks at things having to do with water: Waterbeds (not a good invention in my opinion), Barf Bags (important on turbulent flights), Bit Mouth Billy Bass (corny yet some people enjoyed the singing fish), Flushing Toilet (uh, yes this is an important one), Super Soaker (an improvement on a simple water gun), Sea-Monkeys (weird and creepy), Pool Noodle (still going strong today), and the popular summer fun inventions the Slip ‘N Slide.

Think about how many of those items you had in your life.

Episode two delves into things pertaining to food: Mr. Potato Head (originally needed a real potato!), Pop Rocks (watch out, these make your mouth come alive), Corn Cob Holders (these went through a variety of incarnations until they came up with the holders we use today), Easy Bake Oven (ugh, it really didn’t completely bake anything), Box Wine (gulp), Rubber Chicken (why is this so funny?), Listerine (definitely a good concoction that has improved social interactions), and Vending Machines (important when you’re in need of a quick snack or a beverage).

Learning how these items came to be and the processes they went through from an initial idea to the final product is interesting.

Two episodes premiere weekly through April 14, 2022 on Discovery+.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

Courtesy photo