There are many things which are designed for a purpose but best fit as solution for some other problem. Sometimes they are just right for the place they were originally made for …but destiny makes them end up at wrong (different) places. The things are not in the place where they belong to and not everyone knows its origin. Yes that has happened to many of us …we started as someone and are now in completely different place. Yet there are many such things which have a ‘history’ behind what why and where they are. Let us explore what went wrong….
1) High Heels for men !
For generations the high heels have signified femininity and glamour – but a pair of high heels was once an essential accessory for men. When the soldier stood up in his stirrups, the heel helped him to secure his stance so that he could shoot his bow and arrow more effectively. But today the act of balancing over those pointed heels is a highly appreciated talent amongst the women.
2) Android for cameras not phones.
Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android, claims that the popular mobile operating system was originally designed for digital cameras, not phones. The original plan was that of having a software for ‘a camera platform with a cloud portion for storing images online (in 2004). However, in 2005 Google acquired android and repurposed it to be an operating system for new mobile handsets.
3) Cork screws and military
Actually, that’s not a corkscrew. It’s a gun worm. Bullets got stuck in muskets all the time, which was a problem because if your bullet got stuck it meant you were unable to fire until it was free, and someone was probably shooting back at you. The gun worm was developed to remove those stuck bullets and other blockages, and were therefore essential in stopping you from getting killed. Now for corkscrew, originally corks were left half hanging out so they grip it with pliers or whatever. But it was not secure enough and manufacturers tightened the cork little more. It was when a military man’s family had borrowed the gum work to open the cork of a vine bottle. Thus the gum worms are more famous as cork screws.
4) Java for TV only?
Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at the time. The language was initially called Oak, named after an oak tree that stood outside Gosling’s office (Gosling and 2 of his friends initiated this language in 1991). Later the project went by the name Green and was finally renamed Java, from Java coffee, said to be consumed in large quantities by the language’s creators. Today every application works on java, you name it and you can make it using Java right from cell phones to games.
5) Play Doh as a cleaner
I am sure you have seen the pink elephants and rainbow coloured snakes. Every one of us has tried to bring our imagination to reality by modelling our clay dohs. But do not be astonished if someone told you that it originally came as a stain remover for the wallpapers. Play-Doh came into existence as a nameless, unpleasantly off-white wallpaper-cleaning compound sold by a company called Kutol. But this worked only for certain type of wallpapers and Kutol became worried about it getting obsolete. Just then they found nursery school nearby were using their remover goop to make Christmas ornaments. Kutol immediately removed the detergents from their goop, renamed themselves the Rainbow Craft and began selling their wallpaper remover as a multi-coloured toy.
6) Coca-Cola- just and alternative!
Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most famous brand names, was originally invented as an alternative to morphine addiction, and to treat headaches and relieve anxiety. Coke’s inventor, John Pemberton, who himself suffered from a morphine addiction — first invented a sweet, alcoholic drink infused with coca leaves for an extra kick. He called it Pemberton’s French Wine Coca. It would be another two decades before that recipe was honed, sweetened, carbonated and, eventually, marketed into what it is today: the most popular soda in the world.
7) Bubble wrap as wallpapers 😀
Let us first realize that not every invention comes out of necessity. These inventors Alfred W. Fielding and Mark Chavannes made the cool bubble wrap (Who doesn’t like bubble wrap?) but did not really know what to do with it. They decided their wondrous new material could be sold as “bubble wallpaper”, as the “must have” interior decoration thing. I don’t understand why this idea failed. I would never get bored if I had such a wall. Then the inventors thought of selling these as greenhouse insulations but the idea massively failed again. It only got recognition when IBM opted for these low cost unsold wallpapers for packaging of the hardware they made.
8) Chainsaw in surgery
This tool is said to have origins in Germany where orthopaedist used a chainsaw –like tool. It had links of a chain carrying small cutting teeth with the edges set at an angle. The chain was moved around a guiding blade by turning the handle of a sprocket wheel. It was made to cut bones. However, by the 18th century people had started using a faster chainsaw as an effective tool for cutting timber.
9) The statue of Liberty again!
As we saw above the statue of liberty was supposed to be a light house. That was also approved by the authorities as Liberty Island was granted for setting up of the statue. However, the engineers were never able to successfully light it enough to serve that purpose. Over time it was also proved that it was not a good idea to have a lighthouse in the statue, anyway. So it remains just as a statue and no lighthouse.
10) The Statue of Liberty at Egypt !
Bartholdi, the creator of the statue, did not craft the basic design of Liberty specifically for America. As a young man, he had visited Egypt and was enchanted by the project underway to dig a channel between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. He then designed a colossal woman holding up a lamp and wearing the loose fitting dress of a fellah, a slave, to stand as a lighthouse at the entrance of the Suez Canal. The Egypt deal however failed, so Bartholdi decided to adventure to America and apparently it was gifted by France to America (but that’s not the truth). Yet the statue made for Egypt made it to America!
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