Strange Inventions

This passage is about a few inventions that haven't become popular.

Lexile Level: 1010L

Categories: Science & Technology

Even though many of the inventions introduced in the past one hundred years have contributed significantly to human progress, others are of more dubious value. The Flying Bike is a good example of the latter type of invention. According to the patent application for the Flying Bike, the contraption is a bicycle-like vehicle suspended from a huge, gas-filled wing. Pedaling powers a rear-mounted fan that provides forward motion. Another similarly questionable invention is the Alarm Fork. It works like a typical fork, but it features the addition of red and green lights. When the light is green, it's okay to take a bite. But when the light turns red, you're supposed to stop. And, as if the Alarm Fork wasn't a strange enough invention, consider the Dimple Drill. This device, which was patented in 1896, supposedly allows those born without dimples to give themselves what Mother Nature didn't.