Tools of yore

You won’t believe where these 10 everyday items really came from

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Modern life depends on a surprising number of ancient or overlooked inventions. From common kitchen tools to office supplies, many everyday items have roots buried deep in history. Some were invented by accident, others by necessity—but most have a backstory you’ve likely never heard. Here are 10 objects you use regularly that carry a legacy most people forget.

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Invented in ancient Egypt around 1500 BCE, the earliest scissors were made of bronze and operated with a spring mechanism.

The modern pivoted scissors, as we know them today, appeared in Rome around 100 CE. Leonardo da Vinci even improved their design while using them for fine arts and tailoring.

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The paperclip was never patented for its most iconic shape—the Gem clip—because it was already in commercial use before its design could be protected.

Invented in the late 19th century, the paperclip's rise paralleled the spread of mass bureaucracy. During WWII, Norwegians wore them as symbols of resistance against the Nazis, defying a ban on national symbols.

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The first bristle toothbrush originated in China during the 15th century, featuring hog hair bristles set into bamboo or bone handles.

Mass production in the West didn’t happen until 1780, when Englishman William Addis created one in prison, of all places. Nylon bristles only appeared in 1938, giving us the modern version still used today.

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The zipper began as a "clasp locker" in 1893, designed by Whitcomb Judson to fasten shoes.

It wasn't until 1913 that Gideon Sundback refined the mechanism into what resembles the zipper we use today. It caught on after being used in military gear and was later popularized in fashion by designers like Elsa Schiaparelli.

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Forks were once considered scandalous. Introduced to Europe by Byzantine royalty in the 11th century, they were mocked for being "effeminate."

Consequently, their adoption was slow. By the 17th century, forks became standard at aristocratic tables in Italy and France, but didn’t become common in England or America until the 18th century.

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Shockingly, canned food came before the can opener—and by decades! To make matters worse, early cans were so thick they had to be opened with chisels or bayonets.

Ezra Warner patented the first can opener in 1858, and a rotating-wheel design followed in 1870. The modern safety can opener with a side-cutting wheel wasn’t patented until 1956.

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Ancient Babylonians made soap around 2800 BCE from water, alkali, and cassia oil. The word "soap" comes from Mount Sapo, where Roman legend says animal fat and ash ran into the Tiber River.

Despite its ancient origins, soap didn’t become widely used for personal hygiene until the 19th century, when cholera outbreaks underscored the need for better sanitation.

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Created by accident, the adhesive used in Post-it Notes was originally a failed attempt to make a super-strong glue.

In 1974, Art Fry used the weak adhesive to mark pages in his hymnal. Realizing its potential, 3M released the product nationwide in 1980, and it became a staple in offices and schools worldwide.

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Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented Velcro in 1941 after noticing burrs sticking to his dog’s fur during a hike.

It took over a decade to perfect the manufacturing process. NASA popularized Velcro in the 1960s for use in zero-gravity environments, boosting its civilian use.

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Sylvan Goldman, owner of a grocery chain, invented the shopping cart in 1937 to help customers buy more.

Customers initially resisted using them, so Goldman hired actors to push them around stores to normalize the concept. Today, over 25 million carts are used in the U.S. alone.

Healthy talk

How many apples do you eat a day? 10 health idioms everyone should know

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Do you keep up with the latest health news? What daily habit do you think is your healthiest, and which one do you feel you should try to change? Health is an important issue for everyone, and our language is proof of that! English offers us many health-related idioms with very interesting origins. Some of them will give you valuable tips, others will teach you a lesson, and others will make you laugh out loud. If you want to discover the meaning and roots of 10 popular health idioms, read on!

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Let's start with a classic. You were probably just a child the first time you heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." We have nothing against doctors; it's just that we'd rather not have to visit their office!

While it's not entirely true that eating an apple keeps you from getting sick, this idiom highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.

This popular saying is believed to have originated in Wales in the 19th century. The earliest surviving written version is from 1866 and reads, "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread." It became popular in our country during the 20th century, and it changed its format several times until it reached the current version.

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Do you have a slight headache? Do you feel like you need some rest? Is your stomach giving you a hard time? If you want to express that you're not feeling well, you can say you're "under the weather."

This expression, so famous today, is believed to have originated among sailors. When someone felt seasick or affected by the weather conditions, this phrase was used. It first appeared in written records in the 19th century and became more and more popular over time.

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Here's a truth everyone should hear: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Hand in hand with the apple that keeps the doctor away, this idiom reminds you how important it is to take care of your body and mind. The use of "ounce" and "pound" emphasizes the idea that small preventive steps can help you avoid big problems in the future. You know, it's better to stop ailments before they start, so you don't have to deal with them later. The expression is often used in different contexts and situations beyond health.

Did you know that this phrase is attributed to Benjamin Franklin? That's right! The Founding Father included it in his "Poor Richard's Almanack" of 1736.

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If a friend tells you they are "in the pink," you should celebrate! This idiom is used to indicate that someone is in excellent health. But what does wellness have to do with the color pink? Well, there are a couple of theories about this expression's origins.

The first indicates that it dates back to the 1500s when the color pink was used to describe or represent perfection. Other scholars claim the idiom is the result of a modification of the word "pinnacle," indicating that something or someone was at the top or in the best possible situation.

It was not until the 17th century that the idiom began to be especially linked to a person's state of health.

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Do you remember when you were very young and took a pill for the first time? Hard to swallow, right? Some medications are more "swallowable" than others, and the tough ones can be a problem.

In this popular idiom, the pill serves as a metaphor to represent a big problem or a difficult truth to accept. But the thing is, even if some medicines don't taste good or some pills are too big to swallow, we must take them to make the pain go away or help us heal. What do you think?

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An idiom often used in fiction, especially when dealing with villains, is "A taste of your own medicine." While it's not limited to the medical field and is used in different contexts every day, the expression actually originates from a story about a doctor.

We're talking about the Quack Doctor, one of Aesop's fables. In the story, a swindler deceives people into believing he has a cure for every illness. Later, this "doctor" is tricked into tasting his own fake medicine, which ends up causing him harm.

This popular expression has survived to this day and often indicates that someone received the same treatment they gave, usually negative. Some medications may taste bad, but when it's about your own medicine, it's definitely a hard pill to swallow!

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If your doctor says you have a "clean bill of health," congratulations! It's time to celebrate, as the expression implies that something or someone is in excellent condition, whether it's about a person's health, a computer's performance, or a company's accounts. In other words, people say it when things (or our bodies) are working optimally, so there's no reason to worry.

The idiom is believed to have originated in shipping during the 17th century. The captain of a ship was often required to provide a health certificate indicating that the entire crew was free from infectious diseases. That was commonly known as a "bill of health."

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The '70s and '80s were golden years for many of us, and during that time, there was a particular expression that took on a lot of popularity.

Okay, it seems that pills take up a lot of space in this article. But this one is not hard to swallow; in fact, it's quite the opposite: a "chill pill!" While not real medicine, if someone tells you to take the famous chill pill, it doesn't mean you should run to the pharmacy; they're suggesting that maybe it's time to take a deep breath and focus on nice things.

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The expression "fit as a fiddle" is used to describe someone in excellent shape or health, but the meaning of this phrase was not always the same.

From the beautiful sound they produce to their detailed and fine design, violins, also called fiddles, are symbols of elegance and sophistication. The saying dates back to 17th-century British English, when "fit" meant something closer to "suitable," "proper," or "seemly." Over time, both the term "fit" and the whole expression slightly changed their meaning to the one we know today, associated with athletic and healthy people.

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Anyone who has seen or been around a horse will understand what this phrase refers to. Strong, muscular, fast, tough, and smart, horses have always been considered symbols of health and endurance.

"Healthy as a horse" means that someone is fit and full of energy. A person described this way not only possesses good health but also has a vigorous and resistant appearance.

While the precise origin of the expression isn't known, it's believed to have come into use in the 19th century or even earlier, as horses have been associated with different types of endurance work since ancient times.