Close, But Not Quite Sometimes an invention fills a need, but it doesn’t get used much. Andrew Jackson, Jr., invented safety goggles for chickens. He knew that chickens fight over


food. Tey peck at one another. So he invented the goggles to protect the birds’ eyes during fights. Te chickens didn’t want to wear glasses, though. Farmers had a hard time keeping the glasses on the birds. Tis invention isn’t the only one to


fail. Parakeet diapers and squirting alarm clocks never caught on, either.


Thomas Edison worked for years to invent a light bulb.


Try, Try Again Few inventors get things right the first time. Tomas Edison knew this. Edison and his team invented a light bulb. Te team made many prototypes. Tese were early models that failed. One bulb burned too hot. Another burned out too fast. One was not bright enough. Edison would say, “Tat’s one more way it won’t work. Now we’re closer to a solution.” Edison and his team worked for three years. Finally, they got it right.


Chickens didn’t want to wear Jackson’s invention.


Room for Improvement Te toothbrush also improved over time. People used to brush with twigs or feathers. Some people even used porcupine quills. Over time, inventors tried many


other materials. Tey made better handles and bristles. Today, most toothbrushes are made from plastic.


14 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24