National Inventors Month is in May, and it celebrates the geniuses upon whose shoulders we all stand. We’re talking about the inventors and engineers who work diligently to build a better mousetrap for all of us. Not just the famous inventors like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and Alexander Graham Bell either.

No, this month also celebrates all the yet-to-be-discovered inventors who are toiling away in their basement workshops or out in the garage. So, let’s all raise a toast to these inventors and celebrate their past and future achievements. After all, where would we be without inventors?

The History of National Inventors Month

This observance month was created in 1998 by a number of different organizations. It was initiated by Inventor’s Digest Magazine and The Academy of Applied Science. Originally, National Inventors Month was observed during the month of August, but it was changed in 2011. The observance was moved to May to better align with the National Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Interesting Facts About Inventors

No article on National Inventors Month would be complete without taking some time to talk about some of the inventors and inventions that have made modern life possible, or at the very least, have made life more interesting. We’ve collected these facts below and hope everyone reading this today enjoys them.

• Although Leonardo da Vinci has been credited with inventing scissors, this isn’t true. Scissors were invented about 4,000 years ago in the Middle East.
• Even though da Vinci invented many things, he never actually built any of the things he designed.
• Fiberglass was invented by Games Slayter.
• The first vending machine was invented in the 1st century by Hero of Alexandria.
• The first vending machine dispensed a trickle of holy water once a coin was inserted into it.
• When Bill Gates was only 15, he invented a traffic control system for Seattle.
• The can opener was invented nearly five decades after the invention of the can.
• Alfred Porter Southwick invented the electric chair. He was a steamboat engineer, inventor, and dentist.
• It’s believed that Egyptians invented the straw thousands of years ago to taste beer without removing the floating fermenting ingredients.
• Margaret A. Wilcox invented the car heater in 1893.
• Nikola Tesla invented the Tesla Coil, the Tesla Turbine, AC power, radio, the induction motor, and the neon lamp.

Observing National Inventors Month

During this month, we all should take the time to remember the geniuses who have invented things that really made a difference in people’s lives. This includes inventors such as Leonardo da Vinci, James Watt, Steve Wozniak, Patricia Bath, and Charles Babbage. And let’s not forget about Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the World Wide Web in 1989.

Without his contribution, you would probably be reading about National Inventors Month on a Usenet forum. Oh, by the way, everyone celebrating this month should use the hashtag #NationalInventorsMonth on their social media accounts.