The 20 Worst Inventions of All Time

Invented by the French tailor Franz Reichelt, the parachute coat was designed to serve as a suit that could transform into an inflatable parachute for aviators, in case they had to jump from their aircraft. After obtaining permission to test his invention from the Eiffel Tower in 1912, Reichelt leaped from the platform and fell to his death from a height of 57 meters. 

Before transatlantic commercial air travel became widespread, there were few other ways to travel besides by sea. So when the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin made its debut—an airship capable of carrying passengers across the Atlantic—it was an immediate success. What caused its downfall? The fact that it was fueled by highly flammable hydrogen, which led to the Hindenburg disaster in 1937.

DDT, or dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, was first developed as an insecticide and later used to combat insect-borne diseases (such as typhus, malaria, and dengue fever) during the second half of World War II. However, exposure to DDT caused cancerous tumors in wildlife, leading to its ban in the United States in 1972.

Most of us who are of a certain age probably remember VHS (Video Home System) tapes, but what about Betamax, that invention by Sony? Although it offered better quality than its rival, VHS, Betamax ultimately failed due to its higher price and limitations. Notably, VHS allowed for recordings of more than two hours, while Betamax was limited to one hour.

When SEGA launched the Genesis in 1988 to compete with Nintendo, it became one of the company’s most popular and beloved consoles. However, the release of the Saturn in 1994 had the opposite effect, and by the time the Dreamcast was unveiled in 1998, SEGA was a shadow of its former self. Why? Because it ultimately failed to compete with the rise of Sony’s PlayStation, which led SEGA to withdraw from the console market.

Before the arrival of the iPhone and iPad—devices that now dominate the smartphone and tablet markets—Apple had launched some products that weren’t particularly ingenious. The Newton, in particular, turned out to be a complete flop. Although it was marketed as a portable digital notepad and the first device to feature handwriting recognition, it failed to live up to all its promises.

Wouldn’t it be great if cars could fly? Even though it will still be years before we see these prototypes take flight, that didn’t stop Henry Smolinski from making this dream a reality by attaching part of a Cessna Skymaster to a Ford Pinto. During one of his test flights, a wing strut broke, and Smolinski and his passenger were killed in the crash.

Also known as amaranth, Red Dye No. 2 is a tasteless substance that can be added to foods and cosmetics to give them a bright color. But while it was widely used at the time, it was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1976 after it was shown to cause cancer.

Invented by Robert C. Lafferty, baby cages may seem strange today, but at the time, they were designed for health and immunity reasons, during a period when tuberculosis was widespread. Of course, by the mid-20th century, people began to question their safety, as it was probably not a very wise idea to leave a baby suspended in a multi-story metal cage above a busy street.

If you really wanted to be in perfect sync with your dance partner, these shoes were a must—as long as you weren’t afraid of tripping over your own feet. Featured in Philip Garner’s 1981 parody “Better Living Catalogue,” these “Siamese” shoes were strange, to say the least: they were connected at the toes and had two soles at each end—one for each partner.

Have you ever thought about going for a bike ride with the whole family on a single bike? Well, before the standard models we see on the market today, Charles Steinlauf’s invention not only had three seats for riding and pedaling, but also a sewing machine in the middle, allowing someone to make clothes while on the go. Now that’s what you call convenience.

We can probably all agree that pop-up ads are among the worst inventions of all time. But who came up with this idea? Well, it was Ethan Zuckerman who, in the late 1990s, developed a method for opening ads in a separate window. He has since apologized for the bad reputation that pop-up ads have earned.

When Sten Gustaf Thulin invented plastic bags in 1965, they were designed to be reused indefinitely; he could not have imagined that they would become one of the main causes of global pollution and that they would harm marine life. Some studies predict that by 2050, there will be more single-use plastic in the oceans than fish.

Would you like to have a pet, but without the hassles that come with it? That may be the main reason why Gary Dahl’s invention, the “Pet Rock,” was such a hit, even though it was practically useless. In a truly adorable twist, these rocks were also sold in boxes designed to look like pet carriers, complete with straw as bedding and ventilation holes—a detail that undoubtedly contributed to their initial success. 

After all, how can you have a pet rock without being able to recharge it? That’s exactly what the USB Pet Rock offered. Before you ask: no, it doesn’t do anything in particular. All you have to do is plug in your Pet Rock and… pet it throughout the day. You could even teach it tricks during your break at work.

Unlike VHS tapes, which required a special device to rewind them, DVDs are not linear and do not require a separate device to play specific sections. As a result, the “DVD Rewinder” was more of a novelty gift than anything else, even if it did evoke a certain sense of nostalgia.

Forget about lugging your sleeping bag around—just wear it! Although it may seem hard to believe that there’s a market for hiking sleeping bags, these are inspired by the Selk’nam, an indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego. At least, by wearing this one, you’ll never have to worry about getting cold again—even if your sense of style will undoubtedly be called into question.

When Google X first announced Google Glass, it seemed like a futuristic gadget that was far too ahead of its time. And despite its potential, several factors contributed to its failure, with privacy concerns being the main criticism leveled against it. Ten years later, Google is preparing to make a comeback in the extended reality market with Android XR.

Agent Orange was a herbicide used by the U.S. military from 1961 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. Designed to be sprayed on fields to expose enemy forces, it had devastating effects, causing birth defects, cancers, and other serious health problems on a large scale. While American soldiers were also exposed to this defoliant, it was the Vietnamese people who suffered the most, with as many as 4 million people affected.

If there were an award for the worst automotive invention of all time, it would undoubtedly go to the Ford Pinto. The design of its fuel tank made it prone to leaks and fires in the event of a rear-end collision. Back in the 1970s, when it was being manufactured, you probably wouldn’t have dared to drive too close to someone in this car.