Necessity is the mother of invention

Nutella, bras, and instant ramen: 10 things created out of necessity

Nothing gets the human mind going like needing something and not being able to get it. When common items are in short supply due to a crisis, the human mind always finds a way to get something like it, or even better.

Crises such as war, famine, recessions, or natural disasters have shocked humanity and forced it to be resourceful. Let’s have a look at ten things that originated out of necessity.

The world runs on caffeine, and also does war. During the American Civil War, the Union army produced a water-soluble coffee concentrate, made from a mixture of coffee, milk, and sugar. The resulting ‘coffee’ was said to look like grease, and tasted so awful that it was discontinued.

This invention was not successful, but it was a starting point that pioneered the development of soluble coffee as we know it by the end of the 19th Century. In the 1910s, Red E Coffee became the first instant coffee to achieve success, and the development of Nescafé two decades later made the drink a global sensation.

Japanese cuisine is strongly dominated by rice, so why is one of its star products made from wheat? After World War II, Japan experienced a food shortage, especially rice, which led the government to promote the consumption of wheat bread.

Trying to figure out a way to produce shelf-stable wheat noodles—a food item more familiar to the Japanese than bread—Momofuku Ando developed in 1958 a system to flash-fry noodles that were easy to rehydrate. In 1971, Momofuku also developed cup ramen, which popularized instant noodles worldwide.

The widespread use of chemical warfare during the 20th century meant that antidotes were essential on the battlefield. But how to deliver the exact dose in the quickest way possible? In the 1970s, engineer Sheldon Kaplan and his colleagues created the ComboPen, a system that used pre-measured doses in glass containers and a spring mechanism to administer the injection.

This new system not only helped with quick treatment on the field, but the concealed needle also made the process easier for those with a fear of needles. Furthermore, it can be used by anyone, even those with little to no medical training. After successfully testing the ComboPen, they realized it could be used for other emergency medications, such as epinephrine, creating this way the EpiPen.

Corsets were not the torture device some people imagine, but they were the main supportive undergarment used by women up to the early 20th Century. By that time, most corsets had metal boning, but the material was rationed for ammunition during World War I.

When the shortage of metal boning made corsets go out of style, women turned to the Brassiere —what we would now call a bra, which existed already, but was not popular— for support, making it the standard garment.

If you go to Vietnam (or a Vietnamese coffee shop), you will certainly find egg coffee on the menu. This thick and creamy drink, sweetened with condensed milk, is a Vietnamese staple and an ingenious response to food shortages.

During the 1940s, at the start of the First Indochina War, basic food items were difficult to come by. In a luxurious Hanoi hotel, bartender Nguyen Giang is trying to figure out how to make café au lait without milk. He gets the idea to use an egg yolk, which froths up just like milk does, giving coffee a creamy consistency that pairs well with sweetened condensed milk, a staple of Vietnamese cuisine. Egg coffee became so popular that Nguyen opened his own shop in Hanoi in 1946, which is still standing.

Although this canned processed meat is an American invention, it’s also a fairly common ingredient in countries like Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. SPAM was one of the main rations sent to American soldiers during World War II and the Korean War. They were sent so much SPAM that they grew tired of it, selling or giving away the surplus.

Locals had a hard time finding meat, so SPAM was quickly adopted into their cuisines, and is now featured in popular dishes such as the Korean budae jjigae (which means ‘army base stew’), the Japanese SPAM onigiri, or the Philippine spamsilog (a breakfast of spam, fried rice, and eggs).

Nutella is widely known for its chocolate and hazelnut spread —a version of the Italian _gianduja_—, but did you know it has its origins in a food shortage? At the start of the 19th century, Napoleon Bonaparte had established a blockade, intended to prevent British goods from entering territories under French control.

In the city of Turin, Italy, the blockade diminished the cocoa supplies. To combat this, chocolatiers mixed the cocoa with chopped nuts —mainly hazelnuts— to stretch it, creating the gianduja.

Japgokbap or multigrain rice is a Korean staple dish, and one that was born out of necessity. Korea has always been a fertile country suited for agriculture, but this has not prevented its citizens from experiencing famine and struggles. During the Japanese occupation (1910–1945), Korean farmers were forced to grow Japanese rice instead of their native variety to address the food shortage in Japan.

With their main food source being scarce, Koreans had to rely on other grains like millet, sorghum, or corn. They mixed these grains with beans, and the small rations of rice they could get to make it more filling and nutritious, in a dish they called Japgokbap, and that saved thousands from famine.

For people prone to accidents, Band-Aids are a lifesaver that keeps minor wounds clean and protected. They were created with this goal in mind, but they became popular out of financial necessity.

Band-aids were invented in 1920 by Earle Dickson, who was inspired by his wife’s regular accidents in the kitchen and needed a quick way to dress the wounds without assistance. A few years later, the financial struggles of the Great Depression meant that people weren’t always able to get medical assistance, and started relying on Band-Aids to treat domestic wounds.

Many cultures eat offal, but not all started doing it out of necessity. In Argentine barbecues, offal (called achuras, a native word meaning ‘what is discarded’) is a staple alongside cuts of meat and sausages, but this was not always the norm.

South American meat is renowned for its quality, but there was a time when some parts of the cow were considered unsuitable for consumption. These discarded parts, from the brain to the intestine and everything in between, were recovered by the lower classes and made their way into Argentine cuisine, where nowadays every last part of the cow is consumed.

Decoding

Being a "treasured guest" is not a compliment. This is the hidden meaning

Have you ever heard "Code Adam" while shopping for groceries at Walmart? Or maybe you’ve heard how "Dr. Firestone" was being paged during a routine hospital visit. They sound like harmless announcements. But behind these ordinary words are secret codes staff use to signal emergencies without causing panic. From hospitals and supermarkets to airports and Disney Parks, these phrases quietly warn employees that something is happening. You hope you never hear them, but if you do, it helps to know exactly what they mean.

We all love getting special attention at airports or hotel desks, but if you hear the clerk call you a "treasured guest," don’t feel so flattered. You may not be as VIP as one could think.

In the hospitality industry, "treasured guest" has become a humorous bit of industry folklore to describe someone causing trouble. Maybe a customer yelling at staff over expired coupons, demanding impossible accommodations, or throwing a full-blown tantrum at the front desk. Whatever it is, the phrase has become the staff’s secret way to warn co-workers without escalating the situation in front of the customers. Most guests don’t realize the meaning, but once you know it, you may start hearing it more often. We just hope it’s not about you.

Imagine you’re pushing a shopping cart through Walmart when suddenly the overhead speaker announces, "Code Adam." You can easily assume it’s some kind of employee meeting or cleanup request. But when you see them start locking the exits and moving around, you know something’s wrong.

This code was created in 1994 by Walmart in collaboration with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), in memory of the tragic case of 6-year-old Adam Walsh. Adam was abducted from a Sears department store in 1981 while shopping with his mother. His father, John Walsh, later became famous for hosting the TV program America’s Most Wanted and advocating for missing children. Even if Adam’s story ended in tragedy, Walmart created the emergency system in Adam’s memory, and other retailers soon adopted it nationwide, intending to have a quick response to missing or abducted children.

You’re sitting in a hospital waiting room during a routine check-up when you suddenly hear "Code Blue, Room 214." Most people immediately know it sounds serious, even if they are not entirely sure why.

The phrase "Code Blue" is used at hospitals to draw the necessary staff and equipment to perform a resuscitation. It was created in the early 1960s at Beathany Medical Center by Dr. Hughes Day. Before then, hospital resuscitations were often chaotic and poorly coordinated. In 1961, Dr. Day received a grant to build one of America’s first cardiac care centers, and he developed both the Code Blue alert system and the modern crash cart to improve survival rates during cardiac emergencies. Today, the system is used in hospitals across the country, sometimes with specialized versions like "Code Blue Pediatric" or "Code Blue Neonate."

Imagine visiting a loved one in the hospital when the intercom calmly announces, "Paging Dr. Firectone to the third floor." Your head surely goes, "Dr. Firestone’s probably having a busy day up there." He is, but it’s not what you think.

The phrase is actually a discreet fire alert used to warn staff about smoke, flames, or overheating equipment without frightening patients and visitors. Hospitals adopted these coded announcements after realizing that openly yelling "fire" over loudspeakers could create panic, especially among patients who aren’t able to move quickly. "Code Red" is an alternative used by many health centers today, but it also hints at the situation while keeping hallways calm.

You’re standing at a checkout counter when the cashier picks up the phone and quietly says, "I need a Code 10 authorization." If you think that’s just another way to get a supervisor’s approval or technical issue, think again. In reality, the cashier may suspect the credit card is stolen or fraudulent.

Code 10 was developed through a cooperative effort between major credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard, along with international standard organizations. As credit cards became more common in the 1960s and 1970s, stores needed a discreet way to alert banks about suspicious activity without directly accusing customers and potentially putting employees at danger. When a cashier requests a Code 10, the bank’s operator begins asking yes-or-no questions to assess the situation and guide the employee on what to do next.

You’ve probably experienced those long airport security lines. The wait is usually uneventful. But sometimes, you can hear "Code Bravo" over the speakers. Maybe it’s a delay, or maybe it’s an issue with luggage. Within seconds, people stop moving, the security line freezes, and exits may even close. It’s something bigger.

Code Bravo is the emergency phrase used by airport security and the Transportation Security Administration to signal a serious security threat, such as an unattended bag, a breach at a checkpoint, or someone slipping into a restricted area. The term comes from the international phonetic alphabet used in aviation and military communications, where "Bravo" represents the letter B. When this is called, security staff immediately lock down affected areas, stop screening lines, and search for the source of the threat. To passengers, it’s sudden and confusing, but to security, it’s a carefully rehearsed response.

You are heading back to your cabin on a cruise ship when the speakers announce, "Code Alpha, Deck 7." You may think Alpha is related to the captain, but that’s not the case. It means someone on board is suffering a medical emergency.

The phrase comes from the NATO phonetic alphabet, where "Alpha" represents the letter A. In maritime emergency jargon, it became shorthand for a Priority A medical situation requiring immediate response. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line commonly use the term, though some ships use variations like repeating "Alpha" three times. Once the code is announced, onboard medical teams rush toward the specified deck or cabin. If necessary, stretcher crews are mobilized, and in severe cases, the ship may even divert course toward the nearest port for emergency evacuation. Passengers are enjoying the views, but the staff is running to save a life.

Anyone who remembers the CB radio craze of the 1970s probably smiles when they hear "10-4." Movies, truckers, and radio fans turned those number codes into a part of American culture. So if you overhear "10-33" on a police scanner, you might assume it’s just another routine message. But it’s not as simple as it sounds.

The 10-code system was first created in 1937 by Illinois State Police communications director Charles Hopper and later standardized by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, better known as APCO. Officers needed short phrases they could understand clearly over crackling radio signals. The 10-33 code commonly means an officer needs emergency assistance. In some departments, it also signals radio silence so dispatchers can focus on the crisis unfolding in real time.

Disney World is amazing, the parks offer something for everyone, and there are things to see wherever you look. But that’s exactly the kind of place where a child can easily disappear into a sea of strollers, balloons, characters, and crowds. For that reason, Disney has developed the "Signal 70," which alerts cast members and security that a child has become separated from their family.

The number comes from older police and emergency radio systems, where "70" was commonly associated with missing persons. Disney adopted the phrase because it allows employees to communicate discreetly without frightening or alarming nearby guests. If a member finds the child, they gently -and magically- escort them to Baby Care Center, where they coordinate the reunion.

Cruises are great to relax, enjoying a good book under the sun with a nice drink by the side. Until you hear "Echo, echo, echo" on the speakers. If you do, something is happening somewhere else on the ship.

The code is used among cruise employees to signal that dangerous winds or a navigational hazard are affecting the ship. It comes from the international maritime phonetic alphabet, where "Echo" stands for the letter E. In maritime signalling, the letter traditionally means "I am altering my course to starboard." And, in time, the phrase became associated with urgent ship maneuvers and weather-related warnings. However urgent, the repetition of the word by three doesn’t represent life-threatening situations. It alerts the crew of a certain hazard to prepare while avoiding panic among passengers.