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Origins of the Compass (1:18)
Originally known as the Chinese Magic Spoon, this handy gadget dates back to 2600 B.C. Find out how it was discovered.
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Gadget Tech
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Bathroom Gadgets
Bathroom GadgetsVideo Clip (2:46)
Video Clip (2:46)
Hi-tech bathroom gadgets are making today's toilet a thing of the past.
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The Origin of Fireworks
The Origin of FireworksVideo Clip (2:32)
Video Clip (2:32)
Did you know the Chinese used fireworks to ward off evil spirits? Find out more.
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The Corkscrew
The CorkscrewVideo Clip (1:27)
Video Clip (1:27)
The corkscrew has been a popular--and useful--gadget for hundreds of years, but it might not be around forever.
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The CB Radio
The CB RadioVideo Clip (2:07)
Video Clip (2:07)
The Citizens Band radio of the 1970s is still the trucker's favorite gadget.
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Company Tracks Latest, Greatest Gadgets
Company Tracks Latest, Greatest GadgetsVideo Clip (3:26)
Video Clip (3:26)
Hammacher Schlemmer, in business since the 19th century, is known for selling the latest and greatest gadgets. Which products have been among the company's bestsellers? Find out more.
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Origins of the Compass
Origins of the CompassVideo Clip (1:18)
Video Clip (1:18)
Originally known as the Chinese Magic Spoon, this handy gadget dates back to 2600 B.C. Find out how it was discovered.
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Wacky Patents
Wacky PatentsVideo Clip (3:37)
Video Clip (3:37)
From eyeglasses for chickens to an annunciator for the dead, some unusual inventions have been granted patents. Find out more.
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Rube Goldberg Machines
Rube Goldberg MachinesVideo Clip (3:41)
Video Clip (3:41)
Cartoonist Rube Goldberg was famous for drawing made-up gadgets that complicated life's simplest tasks. Who was this man and what did he really think of technology?
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Professor I. M. Nuts
Professor I. M. NutsVideo Clip (1:15)
Video Clip (1:15)
Who was Professor I.M. Nutts and what did he invent to make breakfast a neater meal? Find out more.
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Gadgets Inventor Ron Popeil
Gadgets Inventor Ron PopeilVideo Clip (3:13)
Video Clip (3:13)
From the Smokeless Ashtray to Mr. Microphone, inventor Ron Popeil has developed scores of household products and hawked them in infomercials. What are some of Popeil's most talked-about inventions?
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Swiss Army Knife Does Everything
Swiss Army Knife Does EverythingVideo Clip (1:47)
Video Clip (1:47)
Was the Swiss Army knife really designed for the Swiss Army? Learn the story behind this versatile invention.
