Six Bizarre Inventions That Never Caught On

Published November 17, 2012
Updated January 22, 2018

Bizarre Inventions: The Sun Pod

A true vision in 1980’s ingenuity, The Sun Pod was likely invented as a way to enhance the sun’s rays during an afternoon tanning session in the backyard. Though The Sun Pod boasted a ventilation system, it would transform into your own personal oven – maybe that’s why every house in America doesn’t come equipped with one.

Old Age Rejuvenator Centrifuge

A true gem from 1935, this medical invention employed the very popular centrifuge. The idea was that spinning a body around with the head angled downward could reverse the effects of gravity – thus reversing the effects of age on the body. Centrifugal force never quite did a body as well as doctors hypothesized, and one of the most bizarre inventions never saw the light of day.

The Baby Mop

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with the cutest of the weird inventions. This onesie comes equipped with furry fibers so your tiny tot can wipe the floors while learning how to crawl. If that’s not ingenious, then what is?

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.