The 5 Most Deceptively Simple Inventions
Some inventions are very complicated and can only be used or understood by the experts who created them. Others are simple, almost deceptively so, and many people don’t even consider that fact when they put them to use. Here are five of the most deceptively simple inventions out there.
Velcro
Velcro is now readily available and is used in many places in our everyday lives. Many will even have Velcro shoes as children before they move on to using laces. This fastener – also known as hook-and-loop fasteners – was invented by George de Mestral when he studied how burdock was able to stick to his dog’s fur and his own clothes. Velcro strips are made up of two opposing surfaces, one of tiny hooks and one of tiny loops, that fasten tightly when pressed together. Hook and loop closers were nothing new. Their development here was such a simple step forward and yet it came with some amazing results.
Screws
We have been using screws as a simple way to hold things together for hundreds of years. The screw itself even has an old pump design that can be used to lift water from one elevation to another. This was used in Ancient Egypt as far back as the 3rd century BC, and was even thought to be a way in which the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were created. The screw itself was used throughout the world by the 1st century BC, and metal screws were common from the late 18thy century onwards. They are such simple tools, yet they are put to work everywhere.
Retractors
Retractors are used in surgeries and medical practices to hold tissue and organs back so that the surgeon can see what they are doing. New developments like the self-retaining retractor can reduce the number of people in the operating theatre and the tasks that surgical assistants have to undertake during a surgery. These new retractors can be adjusted by hand, and their light improves visibility to aid the surgeon. It is a simple solution to meet a complex need.
The Compass
Everyone should know how to use a compass, even in this modern era of smartphones, as you never know when you might have to rely on it and a map to navigate you somewhere. While we might have used the stars to navigate at night, that would not have worked on cloudy nights. The compass is a simple invention that relies on the magnetic pull of the Earth (something more complicated in its own right!) yet it allows us to navigate with ease.
Wheel
Last, but certainly not least, is the wheel. This invention has been around for thousands of years, and it has helped to shape our lives in many areas. If you ever want to think of an invention that is deceptively simple, you need look no further than the humble wheel and axel. This is easily one of the greatest inventions of humanity. Though we have adapted it over the years with the introduction of tyres and other additions, the central form is still much the same.