What Will They Think of Next! Trivia Quiz

Answer: The wooden bathing suit

"Wear Wood" would certainly have been an interesting campaign, had the wooden bathing suit caught on. Made from spruce, the 1930 May edition of "Popular Science" described the suits as "the latest novelty", claiming that they were a "practical" alternative to the regular bathing suit, especially for those the magazine called "timid" swimmers.

However the magazine's final word on the matter was far than comforting, as the article ended with the less than reassuring words, "So far, none of them has warped or cracked"! The suits were created in the state of Washington, in order to promote its lumber industry.

However the name of the person who originally came up with the idea is unknown.

Answer: True

Although all three of these items were really invented, the people who originally came up with them attracted considerably less attention than the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. That being said, each item did address a particular issue or complaint, and thus there was a genuine market for them. Take Banana Guard, for example, which was marketed as a device that allowed "for the safe transport and storage of individual bananas", and was, in effect, a banana lunchbox of sorts. Invented by two ER doctors named Sunil Mangal and David Agulnik during the 1990s, Banana Guard came in a variety of colours, and eventually led to the creation of the Froot Guard, which was a case designed to store and protect rounder items, such as apples, plums and peaches.

Like the Banana Guard, the premise behind the transparent toaster was pretty simple, in that it focused on the fact that most people dislike burned toast. Though it was French inventor, Sylvain Thiriat, who first submitted the patent for this particular device, around 2002, it was the engineers of a company called Magimix that eventually made the concept a reality. Indeed Magimix was the company that first sold what "The Telegraph" newspaper called "the world's first transparent toaster". Labelled the Magimix Vision Toaster, it retailed for around £160 in 2010, and was first introduced to the UK market via retail giant, John Lewis.

Finally, animal corn holders solved the problem of how to eat hot corn on the cob without burning your fingers. They came in a variety of different styles, from cute cows to sweet, brown daschunds, and were in effect just miniature book ends. As for their original inventor, no information on the person or persons involved could be found.

Answer: Doggles

When I first began my research for this particular quiz, the idea of buying "doggy sunglasses" seemed rather silly. However as I dug a little deeper, it became clear that Doggles in particular were especially instrumental in helping military dogs carry out their duties, especially in places with a great deal of sand, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover the brand also made managing certain canine eye problems easier, which meant that it began to appeal to an even wider market, such as veterinarians and dog trainers.

Doggles are, essentially, protective eyewear for dogs. Modelled on traditional human sports goggles, Doggles were invented by Californian couple, Ken and Roni di Lullo, who were inspired to create something that would stop their own dog from squinting in the sun. Their idea then snowballed, and eventually became a worldwide sensation, so much so that by 2004, Doggles were being sold in 16 different countries. The Doggle brand even developed prescription lenses for dogs with sight problems, thus enriching the lives of numerous canine companions.

Answer: FarmVille

Much like Marmite, from the get-go, Zynga's FarmVille provoked one of two reactions: revulsion or attraction. Having made its debut on Facebook in 2009, it instantly captured the imagination of the world, and soon enough, most Facebook users were being flooded with various FarmVille requests. Though the concept was refreshingly simple, the variety of things one could buy with virtually earned (or real world) cash was endless, and there was always something new to work towards.

Answer: Gardens

Incredibly, the wire baby cage was designed to be hung outside the windows of buildings, so that families without gardens could ensure their little ones reaped the benefits of fresh air and sunshine. Its original design was created by an American woman named Emma Read, and a patent for the device was accepted in 1923. Worryingly, in 1937, these cages were distributed to members of London's Chelsea Baby Club, and one London council even proposed the idea of attaching them to the outside of every one of their buildings' windows.

Answer: The Solo Traveller Lid

Though snap on plastic lids first made their appearance in the early 1980s, it wasn't until Jack Clements submitted his patent in 1986 that their design became more ergonomic. Indeed it was Clements who created the Solo Traveller Lid, after being challenged by Solo to come up with a better way of drinking hot drinks on the go.

He responded with the Solo Traveller Lid, which soon became widely available, and went on to be used by global companies such as Starbucks.

Answer: False

Given the year in which it occurred, the story behind the creation of the flat-bottomed paper bag is quite remarkable. American, Margaret Knight, came up with the idea of creating a machine capable of making these bags, after growing frustrated with the shapeless bags around at the time, as they made packing groceries particularly difficult.

She came up with her own design, and while in the process of getting an iron prototype made of her machine, (which was required for the patent), a man who worked at the company responsible for making her prototype, stole it.

The man's name was Charles Annan, and even when Knight sued him for copyright infringement, he had the audacity to claim that she couldn't possibly be the inventor, because she was after all only a woman.

However he hadn't bargained on Knight's extensive planning, which meant that she had detailed drawings of her device to show as proof that it was her own idea. As a result, she won her case, created the product, and made herself a great deal of money.

Answer: Beanie Babies

In 1993, Ty Inc. released their first selection of nine Beanie Babies, which were created under the guidance of company creator, H. Ty Warner. As suggested by their name, each toy was loosely filled with plastic beans, and all were sold at a reasonable price.

However what was notable about Beanie Babies was the limited release of many of the toys, which not only made them harder to find, but all the more desirable to their collectors. As a result, Beanie Babies quickly became one of the popular fads of the 90s.

Answer: The wishbone

Astonishingly, Ken Ahoroni's idea of mass producing plastic wishbones paid off for him, and after coming up with the idea during the Thanksgiving of 1999, he went on to create the Lucky Break Wishbone Company. During the height of their popularity, the company was reported to have made 30,000 wishbones a day, making Ahoroni a hefty profit.

Moreover according to the company's website, Ahoroni not only kept the wishbone that inspired him during his 1999 Thanksgiving meal, but also used it as a model for all of his company's plastic wishbones.

Answer: FitDeck

FitDeck was first launched in 2004, after being created by a fitness instructor named Phil Black, who based the product around a push-up game he and a group of friends once played during their time at university. Incredibly convenient, as it required nothing more than a small square of space, FitDeck allowed anyone without time to attend, or indeed access to a gym, to get a good work-out.

Moreover it proved to be quite a money-spinner, and in 2006, was reported to have made $4.7 million.