10 Innovative Applications for Timeless Inventions

Have you ever pondered the fate of outdated inventions? While some fade into obscurity, others find new life by being reimagined or adapted into fresh products or services. Legally, this transformation can occur in three ways. Improvement patents enhance existing inventions by adding or removing features. Another method involves integrating modern technology into older products, such as replacing analog controls with microprocessors, which can lead to new patents. Lastly, discovering an entirely new application for an existing patent can revolutionize its purpose.

This article explores 10 such inventions with groundbreaking new uses. Some entries on our list date back centuries, while others are relatively new. Prepare to be amazed by how drastically their new purposes diverge from their original functions. For instance, the first item on our list is an ancient remedy that found infamy as a tool for chaos and destruction.

10: Gunpowder

Composed of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, gunpowder has been the driving force behind fireworks and firearms since the 10th century. Initially, it was valued for its supposed health benefits. Chinese alchemists in the 8th century B.C. experimented with this explosive mixture, not for creating gold, but for discovering a life-extending elixir. Additionally, it served as a remedy for skin ailments and a bug repellent [source: Robinson].

The exact number of lives lost in the pursuit of longevity is unknown. However, a Taoist manuscript from A.D. 850 detailed the composition of black powder and cautioned about its hazards [source: Robinson]. This knowledge soon led to its use in warfare, with the Chinese and Arabs crafting primitive firearms from bamboo and iron, utilizing black powder to launch arrows.

9: Bag Balm

In 1899, John L. Norris unveiled Bag Balm, a soothing ointment initially designed for cow udders. Its effectiveness soon led to its use on horses, pets, and other animals. Farmers even applied the salve, made from petrolatum, lanolin, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate, to their own cracked hands.

Bag Balm evolved into a versatile remedy, akin to duct tape in the medical world. While it remained a go-to for sore udders and animal paws, it also found uses in silencing squeaky hinges and lubricating various items, from shell casings to cycling gear. A study revealed its potential to alleviate dry skin linked to male pattern baldness, with some users experiencing hair regrowth. This discovery prompted a new patent application, and in 2000, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that its use for baldness treatment was patentable as a novel application of an existing formula.

8: Warfarin

During the 1920s, a strange illness caused cattle to bleed to death unexpectedly. Researchers traced the cause to moldy sweet clover hay, which contained a potent anticoagulant produced by fungal activity. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin identified and synthesized this chemical, naming it dicoumarol. This breakthrough led to the development of similar anticoagulants, including Warfarin, which debuted in 1948 as a rat poison and gained widespread popularity.

Doctors quickly recognized warfarin's potential for treating patients prone to blood clots, embolism, and stroke. Approved by the FDA in 1954 for human use, it now ranks as the 11th most prescribed drug in the U.S. Despite its effectiveness, its complex dosing and side effects pose challenges [source: Hall]. In 2010, the FDA approved dabigatran as an alternative, potentially relegating warfarin back to its original role as a rodent killer.

7: Teflon

The term "Teflon" instantly brings to mind nonstick cookware, those sleek pans ideal for flawless pancakes. However, its initial purpose was far different. Discovered in 1938 by Roy J. Plunkett, the polymer's unique properties initially puzzled DuPont. After trademarking Teflon in 1945, the company found its first major use in military applications, such as artillery shell fuses and the Manhattan Project.

Post-war, DuPont sought to adapt Teflon for consumer use. While nonstick cookware seemed promising, its slippery nature made adhesion to metal surfaces difficult. In 1954, French engineer Marc Gregoire solved this issue, leading to the launch of TEFAL, the first company to produce nonstick cookware. Today, DuPont's Teflon Platinum Plus line withstands metal utensils, showcasing the material's enduring versatility.

6: Temper Foam

Any astronaut will tell you that a reliable cushion is essential when re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Chiharu Kubokawa and Charles Yost led a team of engineers to create a shock-absorbing material called visco-elastic polyurethane foam, capable of withstanding impacts up to 36 G's. Yost named it "Temper Foam" due to its heat-sensitive properties and founded Dynamic Systems Inc. (DSI) to market it. The foam was used in everything from ejection seats to sports equipment.

In the 1980s, NASA made the foam's formula publicly available. While many companies struggled to commercialize it, Fagerdala World Foams succeeded by launching the Tempur-Pedic mattress in 1991. By 1994, 50,000 Swedes were sleeping on these mattresses [source: Funding Universe]. Bob Trussell acquired North American distribution rights in 1992, and today, Tempur-Pedic is a billion-dollar leader in foam-based sleep products.

5: Phonograph

Artists like Beyonce and Lady Gaga owe their careers to the phonograph, which almost didn't come to be. After Bell patented the telephone in 1876, businesses quickly adopted it for efficient communication. However, they faced a challenge: there was no way to record conversations.

Thomas Edison stepped in with a solution, creating a device that used sound waves to etch grooves into tinfoil on a rotating cylinder. This invention, marketed as a telephone message recorder, struggled due to poor sound quality and mechanical issues, leading to waning business interest.

Edison's invention might have faded into obscurity without the contributions of other inventors. Emil Berliner, in 1887, revolutionized the technology by creating flat discs with circular sound grooves. This innovation allowed for mass production of records, which could be played on his Gramophone, laying the foundation for the modern music industry.

4: Duct Tape

Like many innovations, duct tape was born out of wartime necessity. During World War II, Johnson & Johnson's Permacel division created a three-layer tape featuring a fabric mesh, polyethylene, and rubber adhesive. Its strength and waterproof qualities earned it the nickname "duck" tape, and its olive-brown hue matched the color of ducks.

Post-war, returning soldiers entered a thriving construction industry and introduced the tape to HVAC contractors. Its durability made it ideal for securing ductwork, prompting manufacturers to produce a silver version to match aluminum ducts.

Today, duct tape's uses go far beyond construction. It’s employed in crafting handbags, wallets, and even clothing. It’s also a lifesaver for quick car repairs, from mufflers to broken windows and rusted panels.

3: Messenger Pigeons

While pigeons themselves aren’t an invention, their use as messengers is a human innovation. Genghis Khan, the legendary Mongol leader, employed pigeons in the 12th century to relay messages across his vast empire, which spanned from China to the Black Sea. This method proved far more efficient than other communication systems of the time.

Messenger pigeons also played a role in military operations. In 1937, Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault, after retiring from the U.S. Army Air Corps, traveled to China to train pilots for the impending Japanese invasion. Alongside his Flying Tigers, he brought hundreds of pigeons to deliver critical messages during the war. These birds remain significant in the People's Liberation Army today.

Today, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, are using messenger pigeons to study smog. Equipped with small backpacks containing gas sensors, GPS, and a cell phone, the pigeons are released 20 miles (32 kilometers) from their home. As they fly back, they gather smog data, which is then used to create detailed pollution maps.

2: Retro-reflection

Driving at night has long been challenging. Acetylene headlamps emerged in the 1880s, followed by electric headlights by the early 1900s. High and low beams were introduced in 1917, improving visibility but not solving the issue of seeing pavement markings. In 1935, Percy Shaw from the U.K. invented cat's eyes, raised markers with glass spheres that reflected light back to drivers, making roads safer at night.

This phenomenon, called retro-reflection, is now used in traffic signs, bicycle reflectors, and high-visibility clothing. Beyond these applications, scientists at the University of Tokyo developed optical camouflage in the mid-2000s. By wearing a retro-reflective garment and projecting the background image onto it, a person can appear invisible. This concept, detailed in How Invisibility Cloaks Work, resembles the invisibility cloaks seen in Harry Potter.

1: Viagra

During any sports broadcast, you’re likely to encounter ads for Viagra, Pfizer’s well-known erectile dysfunction medication. These commercials grab attention due to the organ they target and its role in intimacy. If the ads focused on Viagra’s original purpose, they’d likely attract far less interest.

Rewind to 1992, when a clinical trial tested sildenafil on 30 men suffering from angina, a heart condition causing chest pain. While the drug showed little promise for heart disease, researchers observed an unexpected side effect: participants reported improved erections. Sildenafil, which dilates blood vessels, enhanced blood flow to the penis. Pfizer pivoted, rebranding it as Viagra for erectile dysfunction, gaining FDA approval in 1998.

Today, sildenafil is being explored for uses beyond erectile dysfunction. Research suggests it could treat pulmonary hypertension, a lung condition often seen in premature babies. Early treatments with Viagra have shown significant improvements in oxygen circulation. Someday, someone might use Viagra as both an infant and an adult—for entirely different medical needs.