Inventing in the Rain - Windshield Wipers, Umbrellas and Other Wet-Weather Inventions

Sometimes, April showers bring new inventions instead of flowers. Whether we're trying to predict the weather or protect ourselves from it, rain clouds often prove to be a great inspiration for innovations. Today, when soggy weather thunders into town, people enjoy the convenience of weather forecasts, umbrellas and windshield wipers. Have you ever thought about what life was like before these inventions?

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Go Fly a Kite! How Kites Influenced Some Famous Inventors and Inventions

One stormy night in June, Ben Franklin had an interesting, and dangerous, idea. At the time, lightning was a terrifying force of nature and a great mystery. Franklin, motivated by his scientific background and natural curiosity about how things work, sought to prove that lightning was, in fact, electricity. And so the legend of Ben Franklin and his electrifying kite experiment was born. While flying a kite is an enjoyable springtime activity (April is National Kite Month!), you may be surprised to find out how many important inventions are linked to kites.

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Who was the first U.S. President to sign a Bill establishing the American Patent System?

On April 10, 1790, President George Washington signed the Bill that laid the foundations of the American Patent System. Since that time, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued patents for the electric lamp of Thomas Edison, the telephone of Alexander Graham Bell, the flying machine of the Wright brothers, and the inventions of countless other inventors. More than 6 million patents have been granted, and this number will likely double in less than 50 years.

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