Category: Everyday Objects

  • The First Paper Clips Were Used to Protest Nazis

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    Paper clips seem like the most boring office tool, but they’ve got a rebellious history! During World War II, Norwegians turned the humble paper clip into a symbol of resistance against Nazi occupation. In 1940, after Germany invaded Norway, the Nazis banned all patriotic symbols, like pins with the Norwegian flag or the initials of…

  • The First Alarm Clocks Used a Falling Weight

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    Ever overslept because your alarm clock failed? Be glad you weren’t around in the 1400s—the first alarm clocks were a lot less reliable! Back then, people used a device called a “candle clock” or a rudimentary mechanical clock that relied on a falling weight to sound an alarm. The earliest known mechanical alarm clock was…