How Did We Ever Do Without Them? Quiz

Answer: To use as a calendar

Its other main purpose was to calculate astronomical positions mechanically, but it needed the functioning calendar to do so. When this device was first recovered from the Antikythere shipwreck at the beginning of the 20th century, it proved a puzzle for scientists to figure out for years. It's been described in the following fashion by Professor Michael Edmunds of Cardiff University as "...just extraordinary, the only thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop...in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa".

Such is this device's complexity and exactness, that it would be fourteen more centuries before anything matching its precision would be invented. It acted as a calendar, divided the sky into degrees, and could calculate the positions of the sun, moon, various stars and planets, at any time, simply by entering a date. How amazing is that?

Answer: Automatic opening doors

To do this, he heated air in one chamber, which forced water in another chamber to move to a third section. As this water entered this last section, its weight lowered that section. Then, as it lowered, it pulled up ropes attached to doors - and voila, they opened. That's really incredible and it's a little like the same principle used to operate early steam engines - which were invented almost two thousand years later.

Other inventions this hero came up with included an early vending machine; a wind-powered organ; mechanical sound effects for the theatres of the time; and, with visual beauty being very important in that era, an automatically operating fountain.

Answer: Water

Water clocks, as they were known, were invented as long ago as 4,000 BC - and they told the time precisely. Incredible. They first appeared in China and India in 4,000 BC and then Babylon and Egypt in 1,600 BC. By the time water clocks reached ancient Greece and Rome, their design, gearing and escarpment (the means to transfer energy) had improved further, making time-keeping even more accurate.

These clocks kept developing more as the centuries passed, and to test their accuracy, they were checked now and then against sundials to make sure the two means of time-telling agreed. Water clocks were the most common time device for thousands of years until the invention of pendulum clocks took away the lead during the 18th century AD. From there we went to fob watches, small portable clocks and wristwatches.

These are far more preferable than carrying around a sundial or water clock strapped to one's wrist, but owe their very existence to the great minds that came up with these continuing improvements - over time.

Answer: Kites

Kites have been used recreationally for almost three thousand years. They were invented in China and came in various shapes and sizes. Bamboo was used in their structure, and this was covered by silk material. The line held from below was also made of silk - high strength quality. Apart from recreational purposes, early kites were used to test the wind, to measure various distances between locations, and even occasionally to enable man to float far above the surface below. Then, later on, they were used for warfare purposes of observation and weaponry. Fortunately today, now that more efficient methods of bombing and observation have been invented, kites for the most part have reverted to their main original purpose - as a tool of enjoyment.

During the medieval ages, bombs of the day were fixed to large kites which were then floated aloft over enemy targets. By a simple flick of the string-holding wrist from below, these bombs were then released. Tanks were not a new idea either. The idea for same came from early warfare when elephants were used in battle. These poor creatures were covered in armour to prepare them for battle - combining strength, power, speed, and terror all in one. It's surprising really that nobody ever thought of attaching an elephant to a kite as well, to send it trumpeting far up into the atmosphere. Just like a trunk line call.

Answer: USA

The first handheld egg beater was invented by the American, Turner Williams, in 1870. He came from Providence, Rhode Island. How appropriate that his first name was Turner. Handheld egg beaters do an excellent job, but they're very tiring on the arms for the inexperienced. One firmly grasps the bar at the top with one hand, while rapidly turning a handle with the other.

This action turns two rods below which have whisk-shaped blades. They then churn up whatever is being beaten quite beautifully. Warning for beginners, and speaking from bitter experience: Watch the bowl you're beating into, or you'll end up with a delightful mess all over the floor. Handheld egg beaters have been replaced for the most part by electric mixers now, but one is still good to keep around, just in case there's a power blackout. Mind you, you won't be able to see what you're doing and the electric stove won't be working either, but pooh-pooh to all that - mere details.

Answer: Tree twigs

Although most trees were utilised in this fashion since time began, some trees were better suited than others. These included the cinnamon, dogwood, tea and gum trees. But how appropriate is the latter? Gum-tree twigs to clean teeth - and with a nice eucalyptus flavour to boot. Look out for koala dung though.

Other oral hygiene methods which then developed over the years, all of which have been improved upon today, include the use of bird feathers, bones and porcupine quills - preferably without the relevant animals attached. Rubbing baking soda, soot, salt, or chalk on the teeth also came and went. Can you imagine a mouth full of chalk? Early teachers, I suspect, would have favoured that method. Then, in 1223, the Chinese were noted for cleaning their teeth with pieces of ox bone upon which horse tail hairs had been attached.

By 1780, toothbrushes were being produced and sold in large quantities in England - fortunately without the whinny. Pig bristles and badger hairs were the replacements, which really doesn't seem to be much of an improvement at all. Wow, how about this? The discontinuation of animal hair for bristles on brushes didn't come about until 1938, when nylon bristles replaced them all. Amazing. Today of course, toothbrushes come in all shapes and sizes, including electric ones, and if you believed all the hoo-hah accompanying the advertisements, the manufacturers would well and truly have the horse laugh on you.

Answer: Warmed-up bricks

Bricks were warmed to a beautiful degree in the old wood stoves of the time, covered in a clean cloth and stuck at the bottom of one's mattress. It was considered quite a luxury then to drop off to sleep wriggling your toes against the brick and letting its warmth permeate the entire bed. And, as an added bonus, the bricks could also be used in domestic arguments. This method of warming the bed in winter was eventually replaced by metal containers, filled with hot coals, which were placed in the bed an hour or so before retiring for the night. Quite classy looking ones in some cases too.

By the 16th century these, in turn, were replaced by early forms of the hot water bottle. The bottles came in assorted materials, such as clay, copper or glass, and even wood, and they were filled with boiling water and wrapped in protective cloths before being tucked into bed with sleepy cold people. With the invention of rubber came the good old hot water bottles we recognise today (and always handy in case there's a power failure). Finally, the electric blanket took centre stage. These wonderful creations were invented in 1912 by an American doctor, Sydney Russell, God bless him. I personally think he should be awarded the Nobel Prize in some sort of chilly category.

Answer: Washboard

The use of soap, which dates back to the days of early Babylon, was also a wonderful invention. It was manufactured with a combination of ash, cypress oil and sesame seed oil. Mankind is just so inventive it never fails to impress me. Soap of course has been refined and improved upon ever since, for both personal and household use.

Before the electric washing machine became common in the 1930s, washing machines of a kind were used as early as the mid 1800s, believe it or not. They were powered by gasoline. How astonishing is that? There was also the old boiler out in the back yard as well to make laundry day easier. Theoretically anyhow. This was a big old metal tub, under which a fire was lit to boil up the water within. Soap was added and the clothes were then swished around by the sturdy little housewives by aid of a big piece of wood. Wringers to remove excess water from clothing before hanging out on the clothes line were hand-turned. These were your early spin dryers.

Before them however was the washboard. An amazing invention really, and so simple. It consisted of a rectangular shape (wood) upon which thin sloped slats were laid (also made of wood). Soaped up dirty clothes were then rubbed up and down on this board - with impressive results. Who needs electric washing machines? Save yourself some money, gents, throw out those energy-consuming machines, and buy the little woman a washboard instead. She'll love you for it - right up to the time she sees a divorce lawyer.

Answer: Metal pans filled with hot water

How inventive was that? These were either rubbed back and forth over the clothing, or left on top of it for a short while. This took place by the first century BC. It is not clear how clothing was kept wrinkle free up until then. People were probably too worn out by hard work to care I should imagine. However by the 1st century BC, a definite effort was being made in this regard by the Chinese at least.

By the 17th century, women were using flat metal irons to smooth laundered clothing. These were known as flat irons in Australia and were simply a flat piece of metal, upon which a smaller higher piece of metal was moulded. Into this top piece was set a wooden handle. The iron was warmed up on the top of the wood stove, and then applied to the clothes. Many housewives were still using the flat iron to do this section of the laundry up until the 1940s or beyond in many westernised countries. Other versions of the flat iron included a small metal box, into which hot coals were placed. These had to be fanned with bellows now and then to keep them working. There were even kerosene and gasoline powered irons. Astonishing.

And then came the good old electric iron. This was actually invented way back in 1882 by an American inventor, Henry Seeley, but electricity wasn't installed in many houses until much later to utilise this wonderful time saving device. Henry Seeley should also be awarded a Nobel Prize as well - somewhere in a wrinkle free category.

Answer: The manual vacuum cleaner

I actually think its ancestor was the little worn out housewife, but still, let's keep this about gadgets. Before carpet cleaners and their descendants came along, the good old broom was used to remove dust and rubbish from carpets - and this did a surprisingly effective job. The downside of course was that the dust went everywhere - and that is of course if you were actually well off enough to have carpet in the first place. Floor coverings though are another quiz. What was needed then was an instrument to move along the floor, to gather up the dust as it went, and to keep that dust collected into the one place.

Daniel Hess of Iowa filled that void with his invention of a manually operated vacuum cleaner in 1860. This had a set of bellows placed on top which the housewife had to operate to suck up the dust as she pushed the clumsy device around. Still, it was a beginning. This was improved upon by Ives McGaffey of Chicago in 1868. His device, however, involved the use of a handle which had to be cranked as you pushed it around. Exhausting work - a broom would have easier. This was followed by Melville Bissell of Michigan who, in 1876, invented the carpet sweeper as a gift for his wife. Some gift.

John Thurman of Missouri followed up in 1890 with his invention of a gasoline powered vacuum cleaner. Oh my stars! It's not true, ladies and gentlemen, that he was trying to bump off the missus. It would be Hubert Cecil who went on to invent the electric vacuum at the beginning of the 20th century, but he was harassed by complaints about the noise of his invention, and, this is absolutely hilarious, fined for frightening horses!