Tag Archives: disastrous

10 of the Most Disastrous Inventions in History

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If you take a look around your home, you’ll notice numerous incredible inventions that have made our lives easier. You’re currently reading this article.

However, not all inventions are well-thought-out and useful. Some don’t serve their purpose well, while others are as effective as a yarn submarine. Some are created with good intentions, while others are made to fill a non-existent niche in hopes of making some money.

parachute coat

Franz Reichert was photographed wearing a parachute suit that he designed. Photo credit: Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

Franz Reichert was a tailor, but he was inspired to design a suit for pilots that could double as a parachute in the early days of manned flight. After testing his design with a dummy, he believed it worked and decided to test it by jumping from the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1912.

Unfortunately, Franz’s design failed, and he tragically fell to his death. However, his pioneering spirit led to the development of wingsuits for BASE jumping, as well as parachutes and ejection seats for pilots.

coffee pod

All used coffee pods are useless and ready for landfill. Photo credit: Getty Images

Coffee pods, invented by John Sylvan, initially seemed like a great idea but turned out to be incredibly wasteful. Even Sylvan, the inventor, regrets creating them during his time at Keurig Green Mountain.

Research shows that coffee pods have a significant global environmental impact, with specialized recycling companies being the only option for recycling them. If left in landfills, it takes 500 years for them to decompose.

Sinclair C5 Electric Tricycle

Sir Clive Sinclair launches the new Sinclair C5 electric car at Alexandra Palace in London on January 10, 1985. Photo by David Levenson/Getty Images – ©Getty Images

The Sinclair C5, an electric three-wheeler, was launched by Sir Clive Sinclair and was ahead of its time. Despite being legal for road use, its short battery life, low speed, and safety concerns led to poor reviews and sales.

With advancements in battery technology, the Sinclair C5 could have been more successful if released today.

pop up ads

Browser popup vector illustration. Photo credit: Getty Images

Pop-up ads, originally intended to help internet users, have become synonymous with a poor browsing experience. Ethan Zuckerman, the inventor, has apologized for creating them as they became incredibly annoying.

hydrogen airship

LZ 127 “Graf Zeppelin” flies over the New York skyline in 1928. Photo courtesy of Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

Before jet planes, airships like the Zeppelin Company’s were a popular means of long-distance travel. However, the use of highly explosive hydrogen gas led to frequent accidents, culminating in the Hindenburg disaster in 1937.

Modern airship companies now use helium instead of hydrogen for safer and more environmentally friendly travel.

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sega dreamcast

SEGA’s home game console “Dreamcast” and controller. Photo by: James Shepherd/Future/Getty Images

SEGA’s Dreamcast, while innovative with online gameplay, failed due to a lack of third-party titles and competition from Sony’s PlayStation 2.

Other failed consoles, like Apple’s Pippin, also faced challenges in the market.

chewing gum

A collection of colorful chewing gums at the Hoover Dam in America. Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Chewing gum, a popular modern product, contains polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic that contributes to environmental pollution. However, plastic-free alternatives are now emerging.

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betamax video

A collection of old Betamax videotapes. Photo credit: Getty Images

Sony’s Betamax system had superior image quality compared to VHS but failed due to the adoption of VHS by the adult film industry and high costs.

vinyl carry bag

Senegalese environmental activist Maudou Fall, known as “Plastic Man,” walks on a beach to warn people about pollution caused by the use of single-use plastics in Dakar, Senegal, April 4, 2023. Photo by: Annika Hammerschlag/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Plastic bags, originally intended for repeated use, have contributed to plastic pollution. However, biodegradable alternatives are now being introduced.

apple newton

See the original Apple Newton MessagePad from 1993 in action. Photo credit: Alamy

Apple’s Newton tablet, aimed at modernizing note-taking, failed due to high costs and poor handwriting recognition.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Playing Out Each UK Party’s First Years of Power in a Video Game Revealed Disastrous Results

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circleWhether referred to as manifestos or contracts, the documents released by political parties before elections often lack substance despite their length. Filled with idealistic scenarios, vague proposals, and questionable cost estimates, it’s difficult to gauge the true impact each party’s implementation would have on the UK. To investigate this, I’ve been inputting party documents into the political strategy video game Democracy 4 to see the outcomes. The results are… well, you can see for yourself.

Democracy 4 allows players to simulate their political fantasies or nightmares and witness how their decisions influence their chances of re-election. Developed by Positech Games, the game models various democracies, including the UK, with their respective institutions, government policies, and tax rates based on publicly available data. The simulation features thousands of virtual voters, each with unique characteristics. For example, the majority of UK citizens identify as capitalists, but they may also be middle-income, affluent, or farmers, commuters, or self-employed.

Democracy 4 serves as an approximate representation of the British political landscape of 2024, offering insights into the potential outcomes of each major party’s agenda. By testing the policies of the Conservatives, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats, the game reveals who stands to benefit, who may be adversely affected, and whether any real progress can be achieved.




Simulated UK demographics. Photo: Positech Games

Keep in mind that Democracy 4 does not simulate Scotland and Wales separately, thus unable to capture the nuances of the SNP and Plaid Cymru’s plans. I have focused on the Conservatives, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats in my simulations. Each party assumes power with a slim 10% majority on July 5th, facing similar economic challenges. Can Labour bridge the funding gap across all sectors by boosting the UK economy? Will the Conservatives’ tax cuts stimulate business growth? And can the Liberal Democrats’ wealth tax and public service investments eliminate the national debt deficit?

Source: www.theguardian.com